How to make rugs   By: Candace Wheeler (1827-1923)

[Illustration: LOOM WARPED FOR WEAVING]

How to Make Rugs

By

CANDACE WHEELER

Author of "Principles of Home Decoration," etc.

ILLUSTRATED

[Illustration]

NEW YORK DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY 1908

Copyright, 1900 By CANDACE WHEELER

Copyright, 1902 By DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & CO.

Published October, 1902

CONTENTS

FOREWORD: HOME INDUSTRIES AND DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES.

CHAPTER

I. RUG WEAVING. 19

II. THE PATTERN. 33

III. DYEING. 45

IV. INGRAIN CARPET RUGS. 57

V. WOVEN RAG PORTIERES. 67

VI. WOOLEN RUGS. 79

VII. COTTON RUGS. 99

VIII. LINSEY WOOLSEY. 113

NEIGHBOURHOOD INDUSTRIES: AFTER WORD. 125

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Loom Warped for Weaving Frontispiece

FACING PAGE

Weaving 20

The Onteora Rug 36

The Lois Rug 52

Sewed Fringe for Woven Portiere 72

Knotted Warp Fringe for Woven Table cover 72

Isle La Motte Rug 90

Greek Border in Red and Black 108

Braided and Knotted Fringe 108

Diamond Border in Red and Black 108

The Lucy Rug 128

FOREWORD.

HOME INDUSTRIES AND DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES.

The subject of Home Industries is beginning to attract the attention of those who are interested in political economy and the general welfare of the country, and thoughtful people are asking themselves why, in all the length and breadth of America, there are no well established and prosperous domestic manufactures.

We have no articles of use or luxury made in homes which are objects of commercial interchange or sources of family profit. To this general statement there are but few exceptions, and curiously enough these are, for the most part, in the work of our native Indians.

A stranger in America, wishing after the manner of travelers to carry back something characteristic of the country, generally buys what we call "Indian curiosities" moccasins, baskets, feather work, and the one admirable and well established product of Indian manufacture, the Navajo blanket. But these hardly represent the mass of our people.

We may add to the list of Indian industries, lace making, which is being successfully taught at some of the reservations, but as it is not as yet even a self supporting industry, the above named "curiosities" and the Navajo blanket stand alone as characteristic hand work produced by native races; while from our own, or that of the co existent Afro American, we have nothing to show in the way of true domestic manufactures.

When we contrast this want of production with the immense home product of Europe, Asia, parts of Africa, and South America and even certain islands of the Southern Seas we cannot help feeling a sort of dismay at the contrast; and it is only by a careful study of the conditions which have made the difference that we become reassured. It is, in fact, our very prosperity, the exceptionally favourable circumstances which are a part of farming life in this country, which has hitherto diverted efforts into other channels.

These conditions did not exist during the early days of America, and we know that while there was little commercial exchange of home commodities, many of the arts which are used to such profitable purpose abroad existed in this country and served greatly to modify home expenses and increase home comforts. To account for the cessation of these household industries, it is only necessary to notice the drift of certain periods in the short history of America's settlement and development.