'If ,VERSITY OF MISSOURI
COLLEGE OF AGRlCULTIlRE
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE
mCULAR ...
•
Columbia. Mi ..ourl
JULY. 194'
(TIll.... &oriooooI EoIIUoaJ
MADoNNA FJTUjERALD AND LoUISE WOODRUPF
Archive document
Homemade Rugs
Th, growing popularity of artistie and well eonstrueted home·
lade rURS II riehly deserved. Their durability, beauty and ease of
leanin, reeommend them for use in any room of the home.
Homemade rUII possess quaint eharm and individ uality, and b&e UM tbey mlY be made In any alze, shape or combinati on of colors.
hey lit deftnltely Into color scheme, and types of rooms. Perhaps
no other furni lhl.nR In a room has such possibility of lendiDI
Interelt Ind color. It II not difficult to understand wby the art of
ru, maJdn, hal been hlnded dOWD throuah leveral ,enerations to
the homemakers of today.
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MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL EXTENS ION SERVICE
BRAIDED RUGS
Choice of Material.-Braided rugs are made of new or u
materials, cut or torn into strips of varying width. The 8ame kl
of material, all cotton, wool or silk should be used throughout th
rug, and it should be of the same weight and strength if pOlIslbl
Soft woolen fags, such 8S old blankets make excellent rugs. CoUO
blankets, outing flannel , burlap and heavy domestic may al.lSo
used to good advantage. Old sheets. percale and gingham m
be used If the material is firm. Cotton rugs soil more quickly t ha
wool, but they are easily laundered. It is well to use cloth thAt I
80ft and pliable, even with the color slightly dulled and s oftened b
use; yet care should be taken to avoid too badly worn matod.1
and those which do not form braids. The wearing qualities of
rugs do not j~stify the work in making. Worn and new matorlalt
ahould not be used in the same rug, beca use of uneven wear. 01
cretonne and printed linen make attractive rugs when combl"
with plain colored materials.
One should be 8ure that there are sufficient rags for tile rUI
before starting work on it. For example, a rug 27 x 36 inches wll
take from 16 to 18 yards of cotton cloth.
."t
Preparation of Materlals.-The first step in the preparation
rug material is deciding on the colors to be used. Of coursl! th
colora chosen for any rug should harmonize with those of the I'
in which the rug is to be used, so with the aid of a few auil ab)
dyes, just the right colors and tones may be given to tlll~ 01
materials. This process involves little trouble or expense and lh
result is well worth tile effort.
The floor is the foundation of the room and should always hlV
the appearance of stability. For that reason, fairly dark colors wll
be found most satisfactory for rugs. Aside from the artistic off
obtained, there are other advantages of dark tones in rugs ; Lht
show soil less readily than light colors, and if materials are to
dyed, it is euier to obtain a desirable deep tone.
RUgs should not be dull or uninteresting in color or des ign, nor
bright in color or striking in design that they do not s eem to be II.rl
of the background. It is a safe rule to say that at least two-th ird
of tbe rags for a rug should. be neutral or rather da rk in color
Tans, browns, grays and dull blue ordinarily make the most suU,abl,
backgrounds. Additional interest may be secured by using sevo
tones of the same color; for example, one-fourth of t he cloth tor
the background may be dyed medium brown, one-fourth Jig-ht lu
and one-half a light golden brown.
Contral!lt and variety are secured by the use of vivid color. I
small amount. Even the intense colors to be used in small 111"
should be sufficiently "grayed" in tone to make them blend in VI
s
·CIB.CULn 889
t he backJTound.
In a rug of the varioui tones of brown,
It of orange, crimean or bright &Teen may be uled for accent.
• center and outside border edge of the rur should be of the
Ir colors. A few colors will combine better than many in a
'dcltl rug. Interesting patterns mJrht be worked out in some
followlnr combinations:
' 'I
Llrht
cra,.,
JaveDder
blaek, old
l'OH,
Or.y, blue, old rose
8rown, sold, delft blue
T. n, oull creeD, black
Dun blue, beire, brown
Oladt, dull: rreen, lirht creen,
'tlolet
Brown, taD, bumt or.n.... rreen
JTeeD dull roM black
Gray, mwbem. d;ih ,.e1lOllJ,
black
Sap
Benua, ~'T blua, d.rk brown
Dark re Mice, black.
RoM, y oW' rraen, dark
~n,
tan
Tho deeign of a braided rug is obtained by 'stripes, therefore I'ood
HOportion in epacinl' stripes and colore is important. Fi1'8t, there
thould be a center in good proportion with the rest of the rug-it
will ullually look better if made of an , uneven number of braids,
",ch 8S eeven, nine or eleven braids wide. An odd number of rows
Ikes the most Intereatinl' pattern, This principle should be
adhered to in makinr the outside border a1ao, Hit and mias rul"
art very attractive when they are well made.
After cutting or tearinr strlpI lena1!hwise of tbe material, and of
'~a dealred width, fold the raw edges to the center, then fold again.
It Is very Important that no raw edges or ravelinga ahow. Some
•• terl.1 stays creased when pressed into fold, but if the cloth is
wiry. the inexperienced rug maker will find it much leal tedious
'0 baate or blind atltch the folds together. The prepared IIttips
may be wrapped around pieces of cardboard or piled loosely In a
box or basket to keep the colon separate and' in order.
Bnldln, and Sewin,.- Three. four or flve strand braida are mOlt
lIopular for ruga. Begin braiding with strips of different lengths,
10 that only one wUl be joined at one place. Strips about -one and
a half yards in length do not tangle readily and are beat for
braiding.
Good firm braids about % to 1 Inch in width work out moat
attractively In a rug. If the braidl are wider than 1 Incb, tbe rug
may be loose and stretch out of ahape, if narrower, the braids
lPpear to be out of proportion in aft average sized rUi,
To start the thre&--lItrand braid: Take two of the folded IItrlplI,
place one with the open aide upward and with chalk or a pin mark
one·third of the length of the atrip (Firure 2A) . Sew the end of
the other IItrip at this point. at right angles to the strip and with
the open side tOWArd the rll'ht hand to inaure coverini the fold.
Tbi. now makes three atrand. of different lengths.
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MISSOURI ACRICULTUIlAL EXTENSION SERV ICS
,
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. ... .
"
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......
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"
f·(
Fasten this to a table top or chair back to make a lirm. flllt hr I
Bring end 2 aeroe end 3 (Fleure 28), fold end 1 acrou to ,
r ight aide (Figure 2C) then cross S over 1 (F1rure 2D) . CoIlU
in this manner until the braid la finished . In adding to the . trt
CIRcULAR 889
•
t the ends on the bias and join to make an inconspicuous seam
rl~ure
8).
five Strand braids make an attistie combination. This makes a
.r~ l d about l.%: inches wide. Braiding with more than three strands
I. only a process of weaving the strands together. Starting with
I~' left hand strand or No. I, put over No.2, under No. 3, over No .
• ,lInd under No.5. Commencinll at the left each time following the
lbove order the braider will 800n acquire the ability to braid from
beth sides. Care should always. be taken to keep the braid as even
I' possible and this is done by foldini' the outside strand back over
to Ktart a new weave instead of pulling it around.
Sew the atrips together and fasten firmly, hold the open end
4own, then braid with a straight, folding motion, turning the strips
.1 about the same angle each time, so that the edge will be even
, Ild ealY to sew. Be aure that the braid is tight, firm and smooth.
When the end of tho strand is reached, open the fold, cut on the
h ue bias where it will be crOSled by another strand, and make a
. mooth, nat seam, lapping the ediel about ~ inch, being careful
t ~l\t the braid does not bulge.
Never bave two joinings In the
lime place.
When several yards have been braided start sewing. Oval rugs,
oocause of their linea, playa part in the Itructural appearance of a
room, but round rugs have a place especially in a calonial bedroom.
A good rule to follow in ltarting to sew the braid for the center. is
10 estimate the size of the finished rug, and have the first braid oneIhlrd as long 8s the rUJ" will be when completed. For instance if
Ihe rug is to be 36 x 24 inches, the center braid should be 12 inches
long. Another wey to estimate the length of the center braid is to
make it as long as the difference between the leneth and width of
the finished rug. For example, In a rUIl 4.5 x 30 inches, the center
braid should be 15 inchel long.
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1rIIS50URI ACIUCULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE
A ahort darning needle and beavy cottOD thread No. 8, 10, 20. 0'
24, or Unen earpet tbread are the beet for .ewing the rug. Do not
whip the braide together. Ulle a blind Or ,Up stitch. catchlnll'
)trips flrst on ons ,ide then on the other. The atitehinll' ehoul4
be Invisible, which makell the rug revereible and also increasea tht
wearing qualities, as there ,will be no stitches in contact with ~
u..
tl.oor.
By working on a table, the rUi" may be held ftat. 80 that Its wd .hl
not pull it out of shape. AlIow enough luUneN for IImoot~
curving at the turn of the eoll in a round rug or at the end tUrn I
an oval rug. In tUrni D&, the row at the end of an oval rUI, t
inner strand of the braid may be saeed a little to avoid cupping.
If the rug i8 to have each row finiahed completely. makina I
striped ~trect, tho lut row on the center should be tapered "'
cutting a amall strip from the sides of each atrand for at 10
six inches, then braid and sew to the braids, making a smooth
Inconspicuou8 joining.
In sewing on each braid, pin to the last row, wJth the pIns .,
right angles to the braid, which makes it easy to r emove them ..
one eelJ8. Leave the bej'inniJ]g and the ending ends open for aboul
4 inchB',
win
When the braid ja sewed on, pull the ends through the braid on
the oppoaite aidea, weaving as smoothly as poaaibJe and finally 8 (1\\/
the ends securely under the crossing folda and cut off the ends.
CRCULAB 889
7
To make the joining le8e blllky, cut aome of the material out of
the underpart of the folda and taper the ends.
It Ie very important to sew a rug careflllly and firmly, 110 there
wlJI b. no open apacea. Braid and aew alternately, tMa method
enablea one to work out the desired pattern. When the ruB' la
fin ished, it ahould be covered with a damp cloth and pressed into
IIhape. P~IIII from the center out. and allow to dry thorou,hly on
a flat lurface before beina placed on the floor for use.
The appearance of the rug Is the final toat. A aood braided rur
.honld have the following qualities : Simplicity. beauty and ut ility.
It should lie flat on the floor, be well conetrueted and neatl,
finished.
SEWED RUGS
By using a machine, these may be made, with a foundation of
any durable material the size wanted, by atitchinJl pieces of cloth
to the foundation.
Eurlap aacks make a good material to use. These are cut into
atripa approximately 2 inehea wide, each etrlp fringed back %·inch
on each side. To start the ru,s, t",o etriptl should be loldlld Ilinath·
wise in the center, held torether and stitched t hrou&,h the fold to
the foundation around the outer ed&'e to form a frini's. The other
strips are not fold.d, the Ititching going through tbe middle
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MISSOURI AGR1CULTUllAL EXTBNSION SERVICE
of the unfolded strip and the foundation at the bale of the tint
two folded rows and close enough that the fringe cover! the UII
fringed edges of the preceding rows. Thill wlll leave a inD,ed end
extending toward the outer edge of the foundation and the other
towards the center. When the next row is etitched to the iound4·
tiOD. the row extending toward the center is folded over toward th,
outer edge of the foundation. This is continued until the found,,·
tiOD Is completely covered. The rug is finished by turning in t~ .
end with the final rows so close that the fringe conceal II the end
A similar rug of burlap sacks may be made without the foundA'
tion. This is done by cutting the atripa 1 % inches wide, foldln .
lengthwise in t he center' and stitching each alonr the fold. at th.
width of the presserfoot. Then several thread, are raveled frllm
each edge, the result being a firm, fringed strip, % of an incb wid•.
In making a rug of these strips, three hannontzing colon may bo
used such as tan, brown, and orange, the three folded edges of the
strips placed fiat against each other with stitched ed,es even
Using a darning needle and coarse thread, these should be sewl,ld
through from side to aide making a three-fold strip for the centor
aa long as desired. Th.en the three .trips should be turned bll(~k
along the center foundation and sewed with a back atitch to It
This Is continued round after round, until th.e rug fs the 81",
wanted. Strips of uneven length should be used !n the beginn!n,
so that all of the additionsl strips will not be added at the lamo
plaee. The added strips need not be sewed to the precedlDg on08,
o~ly placed in position, the sewing through the strips holding thurn
in place.
ClICUL.U 889
•
CROCHETED RUGS
Cotton, silk, or linen materials are moat suitable for ma1dn&'
crocheted rurs. Hose ~nd underwear may be used very aatlslac~
torily. Stripa should be torn in uniform width from one-half to one
Inch. They ehould be folded and pressed so the raw edgea will be
concealed. Sew them end to end and roll into balls.
A bone or wooden crochet hook is usually used, the size depend·
Inr upon the materials for the rug. Crocheted rugs can be made
more durable if the material is crocheted over atronll twine with
IIrm, close stitches.
When the thread or material is thrown over the hook in crocheting, it makes a looae open rug, which permits the dust and dirt
to lift through to the floor. A common mistake in crocheting Is to
pick up only half of a stitch made in the previous round. This
relulta In a ridge around the rug, and Is not such a firm product as
when, In making a new stitch, the hook ia inserted under both
"Idea of a stitch made in the previous round. In providina the
full ne81 neceslI&ty to prevent cuppina, two Ititches are crocheted
In one of the previous round. Thil widenina should be done oppOlite the end of the center chain, and at the curves on either side,
never aJona the Iide which ahould be kept perfectly stralrht. The
ru.. abould be placed on a Oat lurface occaeionally and if it puckers,
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MI880UIlI AGRICULTVIlAL EXTENSION SERVICB
it need! extra fullneaa, if It rufflell, the worker hal! widened too
otten. The tUr should be perfectly flat at all times.
To make an oval ru" a center chain the neeeuary length I,
eroc.heted, then a complete round ie made b;y maklnlE' a aingl,
crochet in eacb loop on each aide of the chain. A roand rug lJ
made by making a chain of flve or aix stitches Into which 12 Iingl,
crochet stitch .. are made. [0 widenlna. in making a round tUI ,
the extra .titcbea . bould be put in quarter divialon_ polntl. and
haltw.y between.
/
/
To prevent an irregularity or jog in the lines, espedally notJceabla
when several differant colora are used, each round should be mado
complete. the end of the ral' sewed dOWll. and a new round started
in another place, and made complete 88 was the previoul one. Thl.
requires a little more time but the finished article is more plehln,
WOVEN RUGS
The equipment necessary for makinl' woven rug. without a loom
CODlish of an oblong frame made from fOUT boards. medIum sized
cord or atripa of strong material for warp, and rags ton. one and
one-balf inches '9Fid •.
The bellt rellults wJJl be obtained in weavio&, if the frame i. IU A
peoded f rom atrong hooks or nail. beeau •• ft la neceaaary to pull
on the warp corda wbJle workln...
U a frame la to be ueed, it ahould be "warped" In tbe followlnl
maDner-driv. sblngle naU. one-fourth Inch apart at each end of
the frame and one-balf inch apart In a perfectiy .traight line alon,
both aldea. The aide naU. are to keep the mar&'ln Btralibt. •
Then tie the warp materi.1 (strong strips of muslin or cable cord)
around the lirllt nail on one eDd of the frame. carry the warp down
CI.RCULAJ 389
11
length of the frame and around the firat two nails at the opposite
, briol the warp back to the ftrat end and around two nan •.
tl nue this until all the naUs at both ends of the frame have been
¥I"ed, fastening the cord to the lut nail on the lame end on which
warp wu .tarted.
After the material il cut the deaired width, It should be folded
pressed 110 that no raw edlell will be eeen on the surface of the
hli. A.II joinlna. ahould be aewed on thl! blae and folded in to
IMure a ,ood appearance in the finlahed rug.
We_vin, i. started by tint making a aelvale of plain. atrona
_tari.l or cable cord at one end. Allow a length of maurial about
'OYf and a halt tlmea the width of the rua for the aelva,e. Hold
'our or live inchea of the end In the left hand and with the rilht
flu d weave the material over two and under two warp corda from
lett to n,ht. When the rllht hand marJin Is reacbed, atop and
wtave the four Inch end in and out between the ftrlt row of weavIn, and the frame . Then push the woven atrand up to tbe frame
stick and draw the warp corda tightly to in,ure an even, firm
wOllve. The turn on each row·,hould be eauaht around allan. Thla
ktc P8 the marlin ,traight and helps to shape the rur.
Start weaving the materials by pu,ing the lonl ,trip of material
afound the firat warp 'eord at the left., thus 41vtdlnr the atrlp in two
Weavera. ]n weaving, one weaver Is paaled behind the warp and
. ne in front, then they eroaa and are reveraed in the next atitcb.
Continue until the rug ill the dealred length. When It is neeeslIsry
to add another atrip, it should be lapped and sewed aa for a braided
rug. Finish with a IIlIlva,e like the one with wbleh the rUI wu
,taned. The rug may be tsken off the frame and left plain or
~ nished with the fringll of material, heavy cord, or bindinl.
."d
.r
KNITTED RUGS
Knitted RUil are made I)y Uling larle needles and knitting tbe
Inaterial Into atriPI or squaree which are then laced together by
using a bodkJn and heavy thread. If a round rUI is deeired. wedgeIIhaped sectionl are knitted and laced together. Knitted rUis are
not ao firm aa other kinds because the material is u8ual1y cut nar~
row ao it can more eully be handled in knitting, whieh makes a
IIfht weight produet when finished .
HOOKED RUGS
Beautiful hooked rup may be made at home with little expenditure of money. The firat thought of the early Ameriean homemake,.
in makJna a hooked rUi. wall that of usefulness, to make a practical
floor coverin,. But in time, thla handiwork developed into an art,
and the rug makera found real joy in eonvertina otherwiae uaoleal
materiala into artlatic ruga. Ru, maki:na ia partieularly faselnatlnr
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MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION 8ERVI0!
Ii nee it atrords the worker an opportunity in combining colors and
creaUna designs of her own fancy ,
There are three typel of hooked ruga made in the home. tho
looped, the clipped and the lufted. The ioopee rug is the type ~oat
commonly made. In It the material ia pulled through the foundn tlon to make a loop on top, the strip of material being held tightly
under the foundation material, 10 the next loop will be the ume
heiaht and firmly placed. The type of male rial used, determinl)l
the Jen(tb of the loop.. It III well to draw the loops throllib jUlt
far enourh to produce a firm, even lurflce.
It Ja better to make a clipped rUi of wool as it doe. not fray badl)'
and the pile hal more weight. In mald.n g a clipped rug, the 10011'
or stitch •• are drawn throuah lonrer than In a looped type and a n
clipped orr with eharp adeeora aa the work progresses, or the entl n
surface la dipped when the rug I. completed.
A tufted rur haa the mate rial used In the de.irn drawn through
hirh enoulh to permit being dipped at an angle. 80 it will graduall,
taper Into the backrround. Tuftinl is effective for aome pattern
auch aa leaves, aerolls and bow-knou, but for a ru, which is mild.
for hard aervice tuftin, should be Uled only in combination with
loop stitches for the back,rnund.
Choice of Materlala.-The same materiale and colora used in mak·
In, braided ru,., work to very ,ood advantage in hooked rUi'
Each worker muet decide for herself whether the rug shall be mnd.
of old or new mate riala. But re,ardleaa of the type of materials, on..
ahould be sure that it will wear evenly and make a tlrm hut pllllhi.
ru,.
The width of the strips used In hooked russ depende upon u..,
wel,ht of the material. Heavy, firm, material Ie cut not more thai'
% Inch In width while lI,ht wel,ht materiala should be cut wid
ao they may be folded at least twIce to , Ive wel,ht.
•
Silk ho.e and underwear abould be cut from % to % Inch In wldt
and ..tilladory resulte may be obtained by cutting them apirall,
or lenathwi.e. It i. well for each rug maker to try us ln, atripNout
both waya eo that Ihe may decide for bernlf before cutting III
material for a whole rug.
Equipment.-Of equal importance with the materials for ml\kln
the ru, are the frame, burlap or heavy meah materials for t
foundation, and the hook.
There are a number of ,ood commercial framea on the markot b
a homemade rui' frame may be conltruded much like a qu tlUI
frame. Four piecel of lumber that will not warp ahould be leltel
Wrap the plecee with two inch Itripi of heavy domeatle or ot
lirm material. Make the joinlnrs of the ItriPI flat by aewin; I
ends eecurely tolather. 11 the comen of the frame are not mOl ~I
It may be held torether at the corners with metal cU.mpa, wtt
CmcuI.u. SS9
IS
. 111 hold the foundation very tf,ht for worldnr. T~I. t. Important
In having a well flnished rug when completed.
t he J)eslftl.-Burlap or heavy mesh material with auffleleut dre..-
'n, in It to insure easy adjustment in the frame. but pliable enou,h
to give elilfhtly when tbe ,litchI" are pulled tbrourh. make. the
cat desirable rut' foundation.
A large variety of commercial .tamped patterns may be purehaaed, but many rug maker. prefer to make lheir own designe.
Careful meuurementa are ellentlal In worJdn, out. motif for a
14
rug.
MISSOUJU ACRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE
The tirat atep fa determining the center of the foundatl o
folding Brat the center lenrthwi .. , than eroll, And mark the
tol
.on
The width and shape of border may then be indicated with II
pencil or crayon. The delien, either conventional or geometrlr
should be worked out on paper before hein, transferred to Lh
burlap,
The dealfD should be appropr1ate, balanced and adapt(4
to the apace in which it I, to be ueed.
If the entire pattern i, Dot latiafactory, II Bection of it may be
uled anactlvely.
The Autumn Leaf design Ie an example of thl., u it rna,. bt
applied to make II continuoull border, or only parte of it Uled wit h
interesting spacing.
HookbC the Hug.-Neatness and accuracy ar. important facton
in hooking II rug. Work from rlaht to left and with II plain hook,
holding the material between the tin,er and thumb of the left band
beneath the frame and material. Inaert the hook with the riant
hand and catch the atrip of material pullinI' It throu,b In a loop
of the desired heil'ht. Set each . aUtch u e1011e to the last one al
pOlllble. leavln, perhap. one or two strands of burlap between
atitchea. The end. of aaeh .trip ahould always be pulled throurh
to the top of the rul' so they will be Inconspicuoul.
If a needle type of hook II used, it Ihould be threaded accord!n,
to the directions and started ftat side down from the wron, aid,
of the rul', pu.hlD, the needle Into the burlap .a far aa the ,.au,o.
then pullin, out, thus forming loops on the under .Ide. Lift tb,
needle only to tbe level of the foundation material. In tumiD,
eornera, tu.n'1 while the needle ia In the material, keepin, the ,rooved
.ide up.
1t II well to outline the deaign before starlini' to hook the back·
i'round. It Is not necesury to use a contrastin, color for the
outline, the color to be uled in the de.ign or even one row of
the bad:lftOund color may be Uled. The purpole of thla Ja to make
e1ean-cut ed,ea on the deal,n. The ru, may then be hooked, from
the center of the desil'n to the outaide to insure a smooth aurlace.
When the ru, la ftnlahed, it should be carefully examined and
all end. pulled throu,h to the ri,ht aide so there will be no loose
ends or thread. of the material on the wrong side ot the ru,. U
the loops are to be dipped, the rug ahould be held firmly while tbe
cl1pplnr ' la heln, done with even strokes with sharp sciaaore.
Finish the rug by turnlnl' back the marlin of the burlap (about
two lnchee should be allowed) and shapin, it to the border of the
rug. All jolninga and cornera should be miteTed to prevent a
knotted apperance. Bllate the marlin or facinl to the back of the
ru, and hem it down with a catch stitch or hemming Ititch.
The back of the rUI ahould then be dampened and preased before
belnS' placed down on clean papere on tbe floor. If it i, walked on
CtlcvuK 889
16
• way firat, the Itltc.he. flatten and remain In piace nicely.
It II. ruB' becomM limp it may be aiud by pl.dRS' It riS'ht Iide
n on a flat aurface and bruahing the back ligAUy with a rei'Ular
Illing. Allow It to dry tborourhly btfor. beina plac.ed on
ftoor.
r .... IL-A
.. ell ..... MokM ......
SMALL ARTICLES ADD BEAUTY
SmaU hooked, braided or woven mata, footetool topa and chair
IfInU add a decorative touch to a room.
ftJ. 1I.-'I'aWe _ , aM
.ur _
.....
r..... 014 _ .........
16
MISSOURI AGRtCULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE
The same principles of design, eolor and workmanship for fUIJ'
should be applied to these articles. Silk material and hosioft
especially. may be utilized for mats. When knitted material ill to
be used, it should be cut lengthwise and held firmly. 80 the 1'1.
edue will curl in and the strip become a smooth tube.
CARE OF HOMEMADE RUGS
If not too heavy or large, ruga made of cotton fabri cs may "laundered successfully at home. RUgs made of materials wh loh
have been repeatedly washed wJ1l not require special treatment It
prevent fading but those made of new or re-dyed materials should
be soaked in a solution to "set" the colore before laundering by III,
ordinary method. Soiled spots may be scrubbed lightly with •
soaked brush. Rinse as many times as necessary, squeeze as dr)'
as possible and hang straight on a line or' dry on a clean flat 8ur
face. Press on the wrong side with a hot iron before the rU8 I.
enti ely dry.
ScoRE CARll FOR RUGS
1. Workmanship ___ _________________________
__ _____________ 600/.
1. Type of material combined
2. Smoothness of surface
3. Detail work of desi(II and background
•. Neatness ot ftnisb, joinings and searna
2. Combination and spacing of colors _________ __ __ ______ ____ 30,.0
Balance of
design
8. General
Appee.ranCi!
ot Rug _________ __ ______ ___ _________ 20,.0
Size, weight, lhape and proportion of rug
Total
100'10
SUMMARY
1. The predominating colors In the rug should be s ubdued And
harmonious with other furnishinas in the room. Small accentl n.
notes of bright color add interest to the rug.
2. Conventional and straight line designs are pleasing and
decorative.
S. The rug should be of such weia-ht and thickness that it 111
stay in pl ace.
4. An uneven number of rows on border stripes, in braidod,
crocheted or woven rugs is always more effective than an ev...
number.
6. The shape of the rug depends largely on the floor spaco I..
which it is to be used but an oval or oblong rug is generally llIort
desirable.
6. A good rug is made of all the same kind ot ma terial (wool,
cotton, silk or yarn).
7. A well made rug is smooth, finn, with colors well blended and
neatly finished.
UNlVER8I'l'1' OF MISSOUlU COLLEGE OF A CIUCULTUltE AND THE UNlTm
STATES DEPARTM EN T OF ACRICULTURE CooPDtATINO
J . W. B URC II . Ol .... ~t.o •• A ... lellltll.al El<tenolon SeI"Ylce
D " trlbooted h. t ll..u. ..tan ce of tho Aela of eo....... 01 liI.,. •• and III" 10. 1114