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diff --git a/28109.txt b/28109.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2e8aceb --- /dev/null +++ b/28109.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2600 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of How to make rugs, by Candace Wheeler + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: How to make rugs + +Author: Candace Wheeler + +Release Date: February 18, 2009 [EBook #28109] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOW TO MAKE RUGS *** + + + + +Produced by Irma Spehar and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +HOW TO MAKE RUGS + + [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. + +We shall see that the decline of domestic manufactures in New England +and the Middle States was coincident with two rapidly increasing +movements, one of which was the opening and settlement of the great +West, and the other the establishment of cotton and woolen mills +throughout the country. + +In short, the abundant acreage of Western lands, fertile beyond the +dreams of New England or Old World tillers, threw the entire business +of production or family support upon the man. The profit of his easily +acquired farm land was so great and certain that it became almost a +reproach to him to have his womenkind busy themselves with other than +necessary household duties. + +The cotton and woolen mills stood ready to supply the needed material +for clothing, and it was positive economy to push the spinning-wheel +out of sight under the garret eaves and chop up the bulky loom for +firewood. The wife and daughters might reputably cook and clean for +the men whose business it was to cover the black acres with golden +wheat, but spinning and weaving were decidedly unfashionable +occupations. Even the emigrants from countries where the spinning and +weaving habit was an inheritance as well as a necessity, were governed +by the custom of the country, and devoted the entire energy of the +family to the raising of crops. + +It is, in fact, owing to fortunate circumstances that, if we except +the mountain regions of the South, there are no longer farmhouse or +domestic manufactures in America. + +This, as I have said, only goes to prove the hitherto unexampled +prosperity of the country. In fact, the absence of these very +industries means that there are greater sources of profit within the +reach of farming households. + +This being so, it is natural to ask, why the re-establishment of +farmhouse manufactures, or the encouragement and development of them, +is a desirable movement. + +There are exceedingly good individual and personal reasons; and there +are also commercial and national ones, which should not be ignored. + +All farmers are not successful. There are many poor as well as rich +ones; and the wife of a poor farmer has less pecuniary independence, +less money to spend, and fewer ways of gaining it, than any other +woman of equal education and character in America. + +A poor farmer is often obliged to pay out for labour, fencing, stock, +insurance and taxes every dollar gained by the sale of his crops, and +if by good luck or good management there should be a small excess, he +is apt to hoard it against unlooked-for emergencies. This, at first +enforced economy, grows to be the habit of his life, so that even if +he becomes well-to-do, or even rich, he distrusts exceedingly the +wisdom of any expenditure save his own. + +A mechanic, or a man in any small line of business, must trust his +wife with the disbursement of a certain part of the family income. It +passes through her hands in the way of housekeeping, and the +management of it exercises and develops her faculties; but the wife of +the farmer has no such interest. The farm is expected to supply the +family living, and this blessed fact becomes almost a curse when it +deprives the wife of the mental stimulus incident to the management of +resources. + +Added to this there is often, at least through the winter, partial or +complete isolation from neighbourly or public interests. The great +crops of the country are produced under circumstances which +necessitate distance from even the most limited social centres, and +that the farmer's wife suffers from this we know, not only from +observation, but from the statistics of insane asylums. And here I am +tempted to quote from a letter of a close student of farmhouse life in +the West. She writes: + +"That the farmer himself, as isolated and hard worked, makes no such +record, I believe due to the mental tonic, the broadening influence +that comes from a sense of responsibility in life's larger affairs. +The woman works like a machine, irresponsible as to final results; the +man like a thinking, planning, responsible, independent human being." + +This seems to me a very fair statement of the case. The woman, who +misses social companionship, and who has not the saving influence of +administration and responsibility even in her own household, is +narrowed to a very small point in life's affairs, and it is inevitable +that she should suffer from it. The variety of her work also has +dwindled. Cooking and house-cleaning follow each other in monotonous +routine, with too much of it at planting and harvest seasons and too +little at others. She has not even the pleasure of comparison and +emulation in her daily work; it neither exercises her faculties nor +stimulates her thought. + +During the winter months she has abundant leisure for a harvest of her +own, in some interesting manufacture adapted to her education and +circumstances, and in the prosecution of these she would be brought +into a bond of common interest with other women. So far I have spoken +only of the individual and personal reasons for which certain domestic +and artistic industries well might be encouraged; but the public and +economic reasons are easy to find. + +In looking at the variety and bulk of our national imports, we may be +surprised to see how large a proportion of them are of domestic +origin. In fact, nearly everything which comes under the head of +artistic products is the result of domestic industry. The beauty and +simplicity of many of these things is surprising, and yet they have +required neither unusual talent or careful training. They are simply +the result of the _habit_ of production, and their value is in the +personal expression we find in them. They have always this advantage +over mechanical manufacture, and can be safely relied upon to find a +market in the face of close mechanical imitation. + +Among these domestic products we shall find the laces of all +countries, Ireland, Belgium, France, Italy, Sweden and Russia +contributing this beautiful manufacture, from finest to coarsest +quality. It is as common a process as knitting in the homes of many +countries, and the fact of it being successfully taught in the Indian +cabins of the far West proves that it is not a difficult +accomplishment. Embroideries, in all countries but our own, are common +and profitable home productions; and when we come to hand-weavings the +variety is infinite. In practical England, the value of hand-weavings +in linens has led to the introduction of small "parlour looms" from +Sweden; and damasks of special designs are woven for special customers +who appreciate their charm and worth. + +Of all hand processes, weaving is the most generally or widely +applicable, and the range of beautiful production possible to the +simplest weaving is almost beyond calculation. + +Many of the costly Eastern rugs are as simply woven as a Navajo +blanket, or even a rag carpet. The process is in many cases almost +identical, the variation being only in closeness or fineness of warp +and arrangement of colour. + +I have been much interested of late in an application of art to a +local industry in New Hampshire. It is one which seems to prevail to +a greater or less degree all through New England, and the product is +called "pulled rugs." The process consists of drawing finely cut rags +through some loose, strong cloth, mainly bagging or burlap. I have +seen these rugs at Bar Harbor and along the Massachusetts coast for +many years, and while they possessed the merit of durability, they +were, for the most part, so ugly and unattractive that only the most +sympathetic personal interest in the maker would induce one to +purchase them. The change that has been wrought in this manufacture by +an intelligent application of art is really marvelous. The product +came under the attention of a woman trained in that valuable school, +"The Institute of Artist Artisans." She tried the experiment of using +new material carefully dyed to follow certain Oriental designs, and +the result is a smooth, velvety, thick-piled rug, which cannot be +distinguished from a fine Oriental rug of the same pattern. The cost +of this manufacture is necessarily considerable, since the process is +slow and the material costly. But in spite of these disadvantages, the +drawn rugs have met with deserved favour, and are a source of +profitable labour to the community. It is undoubtedly the beginning of +an important industry, which owes its success entirely to the art +education of one woman. + +There is an improvement somewhat akin to this in the weaving of +rag-carpet rugs, and this is not confined to one locality. It consists +in the use of _new_ rags, carefully selected as to colour both of rags +and warp, and the result is surprisingly good. + +One might say that we have in this country peculiar advantages for +positive artistic excellence as well as volume of production. We grow +our own wool and cotton. We have a great and growing population, with +such application of mechanical invention to routine and necessary work +as greatly to reduce household labour. Added to this, there has been +during the last ten years so much and such general art study as to +have created a sort of diffused love of art manufactures, so that many +of the people who would naturally adopt the work would have an +instructive judgment regarding it. I should not be afraid to predict +great and even peculiar excellence in any domestic manufacture which +became the habit of any given locality. + +_The subject of our domestic industries is one which should fall +naturally within the objects of women's clubs._ If every woman's club +in the country chose from its members those who by artistic instinct +or education, and the possession of practical ability, were fitted to +lead in the work, and made of them a committee on home industries, the +reports from it would soon become a matter of absorbing interest to +the club, and the productions made under the protection, so to speak, +of the club, would have an advantage that any commercial business +would consider invaluable. Neither would the advantage be limited by +the interest of a single club. That great social engine, "The +Federation of Women's Clubs," can wield an almost magical power in the +creation of interests or encouragement of effort, and the federation +of organizations, each one exchanging experiences as well as products, +would be an ideal means of growth and extension. + +The machinery for the work exists in almost every county of every +State of the Union, and with the threefold interest of the promotion +of practical art, that of increased manufacture, and the extension of +that sisterhood which is one of the most Christian-like and desirable +aims of women's clubs, it would seem a natural and congenial effort. + +The best results of this general awakening will probably be in the +South. Certainly no conditions could be more favourable than those +existing in the Cumberland Mountains, where wool and cotton grown upon +the rough farms are habitually spun and woven and dyed in the home +cabin. The dyes are often made from walnut bark, pokeberry, and +certain nuts and roots which have been found capable of "fast" stain +and are easily procured. Unfortunately, the facility with which +aniline dyes can be used is not unknown. The "linsey woolsey," which +is not only a common manufacture in the farmhouses, but the common +wear of both men and women, is an interesting and good manufacture, +capable of much wider use than it enjoys at present. + +And linsey woolsey is not the only home weaving done in the Cumberland +Mountains. The showing of cotton homespun towel weaving at the +Atlanta Exposition was a feature of the Exposition, and the homespun +blankets of the various kinds which one finds in common use are only a +step removed from the process of the admirable Navajo blanket. + +We see from these different possibilities and indications, that +although we are still a people without true home productions, there is +every reason to believe that this condition will not be a lasting one, +and that before many years we shall find the special advantages and +general cultivation of the country have not only produced but given +character to a large domestic manufacture. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +RUG WEAVING. + + +Rag carpets have been made and used in farmhouses for many +generations, but it is only of late that there has been a general +demand in all country houses for home-made piazza rugs, bedroom rugs, +and rugs for general use. + +It has been found that the best and most durable rugs for these +purposes, and for bath-rooms for town and city houses, can be made of +cotton or woolen rags sewed and woven in the regular old-fashioned +rag-carpet way, the difference being--and it is rather a large +difference--that the rags must be new instead of old, and that the +colors must be good and carefully chosen instead of being used +indiscriminately, and in addition to this it must be woven in two-yard +lengths, with a border and fringe at either end. This being done, +good, attractive and salable rugs can be made of almost any color, and +suitable for many purposes. It is an industry perfectly adapted to +farmhouse conditions, and if well followed out would make a regular +income for the women of the family. + +The cumbrous old wooden loom is still doing a certain amount of work +in nearly every country neighbourhood, and it is capable of a greatly +enlarged and much more profitable practice. I find very little if any +difference in the rugs woven upon these and the modern steel loom. It +is true that the work is lighter and weaving goes faster upon the +latter, and where a person or family makes an occupation of weaving it +is probably better to have the latest improvements; but it is possible +to begin and to make a success of rag rug weaving upon an +old-fashioned loom, and as a rule old-fashioned weavers have little to +learn in new methods. + +This small book is intended as a help in adapting their work to modern +demands, as well as to open a new field to the farmer's family during +the winter months, when their time is not necessarily occupied with +growing and securing crops. + + [Illustration: WEAVING] + +It does not undertake to teach any one who buys or has inherited a +loom to begin weaving without any further preparation. The warping or +threading of it must be _seen_ to be understood, but when that is once +learned, all of the rest is a matter of practice and experiment, and +is really no more difficult than any other domestic art. One would not +expect to spin without being shown how to pull the wool and turn the +wheel at the same time, or even to sew or knit without some sort of +instruction, and the same is true of weaving. + +There are many old looms still to be found in the garrets of +farmhouses, and where one has been inherited it is best to begin +learning to weave upon it instead of substituting a new one, since the +same knowledge answers for both. Probably some older member of the +family, or at least some old neighbour, will be able to teach the new +beginner how to set up the loom and to proceed from that to actual +weaving. After this is learned it rests with one's self to become a +good weaver, a practical dyer, and to put colors together which are +both harmonious and effective. + +What I have chiefly tried to show is how to get proper materials and +how to use them to the best advantage. I think it is safe to say that +no domestic art is capable of such important results from a pecuniary +point of view, or so important an extension in the direction of +practical art. Where it is used as an art-process and an interesting +occupation, by women of leisure, it is capable of the finest results, +and there is no reason why these results should not become a matter of +business profit. + +Rag carpets have generally been woven of rags cut from any old +garments cast aside by the household--coats and trousers too old for +patching, sheets and pillow-cases too tender to use, calico, serge, +bits of woolen stuffs old and new, went into the carpet basket, to be +cut or torn into strips, sewed indiscriminately together, and rolled +into balls until there should be enough of them for the work of the +loom. When this time came the loom would be warped with white cotton +or purple yarn, dyed with "sugar paper" or logwood, and the carpet +woven. Even with this entire carelessness as to any other result than +that of a useful floor covering, the rag carpet, with its "hit or +miss" mixture, was not a bad thing; and a very small degree of +attention has served to give it a respectable place in domestic +manufactures. But it is capable of being carried much farther; in +fact, I know of no process which can so easily be made to produce +really good and beautiful results as rag carpet weaving. + +The first material needed is what are called carpet warps, and these +can be purchased in different weights and sizes and more or less +reliable colours in every country store, this fact alone showing the +prevalence of home weaving, since the yarns are not--at least to my +knowledge--used for any other purpose. + +The cost of warp, dyed or undyed, depends upon the quantity required, +or, in other words, upon its being purchased at wholesale or retail. +At retail it costs twenty cents per pound, and at wholesale sixteen. +To buy of a wholesale dealer one must be able to order at least a +hundred pounds, and as this would weave but a hundred and fifty rugs +it would not be too large a quantity to have on hand for even a +moderate amount of weaving. These prices refer only to ordinary cotton +warps, and not to fine "silk finish," to linen, or even to silk ones, +each of which has its special use and price. + +In all of them fast colour is a most desirable quality, and, indeed, +for truly good work a necessity. I have found but two of the colours +which are upon ordinary sale to be reasonably fast, and those are a +very deep red and the ordinary orange. The latter will run when dipped +in water; in fact, it will give out dye to such good purpose that I +have sometimes used the water in which it has been steeped to dye +cotton rags, as it gives a very good and quite fast lemon yellow. + +It follows, then, that in weaving rugs (which must be washable) with +orange warp, the warp must be steeped in warm water before using. It +can be used in that state, or it can be _set_ with alum, or it can be +dipped in a thin indigo dye and made into a good and fast green. + +The only recourse of the domestic weaver who wishes to establish her +rugs as of the very best make is to dye her own warps; and this is not +only an easy but a most interesting process; so much so, in fact, that +I am tempted to enlarge upon it as a practical study for the young +people of the family. It is necessary at the very beginning to put +much stress upon the value of fast colour in the warping yarn, since a +faded warp will entirely neutralize the colour of the rags, and spoil +the beauty of the most successful rug. + +The most necessary and widely applicable colour needed in warps, or, +indeed, in rags, is a perfectly fast blue in different depths, and +this can only be secured by indigo. Aniline blue in cotton is never +sun-fast and rarely will stand washing, but a good indigo blue will +neither run or fade, and is therefore precisely what is needed for +domestic manufacture. Fortunately, the dye-tub has been, in the past +at least, a close companion of the loom, and most old-fashioned +farmers' wives know how to use it. With this one can command reliable +blue warps of all shades; and when we come to directions for making +washable rugs its importance will be seen. + +As I have said, by dipping orange warp in medium indigo blue a fast +and vivid green can be secured, and these two tints, together with +orange and red, give as many colours as one needs for rug weaving; +they give, in fact, a choice of five colours--orange, red, blue, +green and white. Orange and red are both colours which can be relied +upon when prepared from the ordinary "Magic" dyes of commerce. Turkey +red especially is safe to last, even when applied to cotton. In the +general disapproval of mineral dyes, this one may certainly be +excepted, as well as the crimson red known as "cardinal," which is +both durable and beautiful, in silk or woolen fibre or texture. + +After good warps are secured, the second material needed is _filling_; +and here the subject of old and new rags is to be considered. Of +course, cloth which has served other purposes, as in sheets, +pillow-cases, curtains, dress skirts, etc., is still capable of +prolonged wear when the thin parts are removed and those which are +fairly strong are folded and bunched into carpet filling; and for +family use, or limited sale, such rags--dyed in some colour--are +really desirable. Good varieties of washable rugs can be made of +half-worn cotton without dyeing (although they will not be as durable +as if made from unworn muslin) by using blue warps to white fillings. +The colour effects and methods of weaving will be the same whether +old or new rags are used; but in making a study of rag rug weaving +from the point of view of building up an important industry, it is +necessary to consider only the use of new rags and how to procure the +best of them at the cheapest rates. + +There is a certain amount of what is called waste in all cloth mills, +either cotton, wool or silk, and also in the manufacture of every kind +of clothing. The waste from cotton mills, consisting for the most part +of "piece ends," imperfect beginnings or endings, which must be torn +off when the piece is made up, are exactly suitable for carpet +weaving; and, in fact, if made for the purpose could hardly be better. +These can be bought for from ten to twelve cents per pound. The same +price holds for ginghams and for coloured cottons of various sorts. + +Cutting from shirt-making and clothing establishments are not as good. +In shirt cuttings the cloth varies a good deal in thickness, and, in +addition to this disadvantage, cannot be torn into strips, many of the +pieces being bias, and therefore having to be cut. It is true that +while this entails additional use of time in preparation, bias rags +are a more elastic filling than straight ones, and if uniformly and +carefully cut and sewed a rug made from them is worth more and will +probably sell for more than one made of straight rags. + +Shirt cuttings sell for about three cents per pound, and while a +proportion of them are too small for use and would have to be re-sold +for paper rags, the cost of material for cotton rugs would still be +very trifling. Suitable woolen rags from the mills sell for +twenty-five cents per pound. Tailors' and dressmakers' cuttings are +much cheaper, and very advantageous arrangements can be made with +large establishments if one is prepared to take all they have to +offer. + +One difficulty with woolen rags from tailoring establishments is in +the sombreness of the colours; but much can be done by judicious +sorting and sewing of the rags, for it is astonishing how bits of +every conceivable colour will melt together when brought into a mixed +mass; also if they are woven upon a red warp the effect is brightened. + +Having secured materials of different kinds, the next step is in the +cutting and sewing, and here also new methods must step in. + +The old-fashioned way of sewing carpet rags--that is, simply _tacking_ +them together with a large needle and coarse thread--will not answer +at all in this new development of rug making. The filling must be +smooth, without lumps or rag ends, and the joinings absolutely fast +and fairly inconspicuous. Some of the new rags from cotton or woolen +mills come in pieces from a quarter to a half-yard in length and the +usual width of the cloth. These can be sewed together on the sewing +machine, lapping and basting them before sewing. They should lap from +a quarter to a half inch and have two sewings, one at either edge of +the lap. If sewed in this way they can afterward be torn into strips, +using the scissors to cut across seams. It can be performed very +speedily when one is accustomed to it, and is absolutely secure, so +that no rag ends can ever be seen in the finished weaving. + +If the cloth pieces which are to be used for rags are not wide enough +to sew on the sewing machine, they should be lapped and sewed by hand +in the same way, unless they happen to have selvedge ends, in which +case they should by all means be strongly overhanded. This makes the +best possible joining, as it is no thicker than the rest of the rag +filling, and consequently gives an even surface. Good sewing is the +first step toward making good and workmanlike rugs. + +Whenever the rags can be torn instead of cut, it is preferable, as it +secures uniform width. The width, of course, must vary according to +the quality of cloth and weight desired in the rug. A certain weight +is necessary to make it lie smoothly, as a light rug will not stay in +place on the floor. In ordinary cotton cloth an inch wide strip is not +too heavy and will pinch into the required space. If, however, a +door-hanging or lounge-cover is being woven, the rags may be made half +that width. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE PATTERN. + + +When proper warp and filling are secured, experimental weaving may +begin. If the loom is an old-fashioned wooden one, it will weave only +in yard widths, and this yard width takes four hundred and fifty +threads of warp. Warping the loom is really the only difficult or +troublesome part of plain weaving, and therefore it is best to put in +as long a warp as one is likely to use in one colour. One and a half +pounds of cotton rags will make one yard of weaving. + +The simplest trial will be the weaving of white filling, either old or +new, with a warp of medium indigo blue. Of course each warp must be +long enough to weave several rugs; and the first one, to make the +experiment as simple as possible, should be of white rags alone upon a +blue warp. There must be an allowance of five inches of warp for +fringe before the weaving is begun, and ten inches at the end of the +rug to make a fringe for both first and second rugs. Sometimes the +warp is set in groups of three, with a corresponding interval between, +and this--if the tension is firm and the rags soft--gives a sort of +honeycomb effect which is very good. + +The grouping of the warp is especially desirable in one-coloured rugs, +as it gives a variation of surface which is really attractive. + +When woven, the rug should measure three feet by six, without the +fringe. This is to be knotted, allowing six threads to a knot. This +kind of bath-rug--which is the simplest thing possible in +weaving--will be found to be truly valuable, both for use and effect. +If the filling is sufficiently heavy, and especially if it is made of +half-worn rags, it will be soft to the feet, and can be as easily +washed as a white counterpane; in fact, it can be thrown on the grass +in a heavy shower and allowed to wash and bleach itself. + +Several variations can be made upon this blue warp in the way of +borders and color-splashes by using any indigo-dyed material mixed +with the white rags. Cheap blue ginghams, "domestics" or half-worn and +somewhat faded blue denims will be of the right depth of color, but as +a rule new denim is of too dark a blue to introduce with pure white +filling. + +The illustration called "The Onteora Rug" is made by using a +proportion of a half-pound of blue rags to the two and a half of white +required to make up the three pounds of cotton filling required in a +six-foot rug. This half-pound of blue should be distributed through +the rug in three portions, and the two and a half pounds of white also +into three, so as to insure an equal share of blue to every third of +the rug. After this division is made it is quite immaterial how it +goes together. The blue rags may be long, short or medium, and the +effect is almost certain to be equally good. + +The side border in "The Lois Rug," which is made upon the same blue +warp, is separately woven, and afterward added to the plain white rug +with blue ends, but an irregular side border can easily be made by +sewing the rags in lengths of a half-yard, alternating the blue and +white, and keeping the white rags in the centre of the rug while +weaving. + +These three or four variations of style in what we may call washable +rugs are almost equally good where red warp is used, substituting +Turkey red rags with the white filling instead of blue. An orange warp +can be used for an orange and white rug, mixing the white filling with +ordinary orange cotton cloth. + +The effect may be reversed by using a white warp with a red, blue or +yellow filling, making the borders and splashes with white. One of the +best experiments in plain weaving I have seen is a red rug of the +"Lois" style, using white warp and mixed white and green gingham rags +for the borders, while the body of the rug is in shaded red rags. + +This, however, brings us to the question of color in fillings, which +must be treated separately. + + [Illustration: THE ONTEORA RUG] + +Of course, variations of all kinds can be made in washable rugs. Light +and dark blue rags can be used in large proportion with white ones to +make a "hit or miss," and where a darker rug is considered better for +household use it can be made entirely of dark and light blue on a +white warp; the same thing can be done in reds, yellows and greens. +Brown can be used with good effect mixed with orange, using orange +warp; or orange, green and brown will make a good combination on a +white warp. In almost every variety of rug except where blue warp is +used a red stripe in the border will be found an improvement. + +A very close, evenly distributed red warp, with white filling, will +make a pink rug good enough and pretty enough for the daintiest +bedroom. If it is begun and finished with a half-inch of the same warp +used as filling, it makes a sort of border; and this, with the red +fringe, completes what every one will acknowledge is an exceptionally +good piece of floor furnishing. + +In using woolen rags, which are apt to be much darker in colour than +cotton, a white, red or yellow warp is more apt to be effective than +either a green or a blue; in fact, it is quite safe to say that light +filling should go with dark warp and dark filling with light or white. + +There is an extremely good style of rag rug made at Isle Lamotte, in +Vermont, where very dark blue or green woolen rags are woven upon a +white warp, with a design of arrows in white at regular intervals at +the sides. This design is made by turning back the filling at a given +point and introducing a piece of white filling, which in turn is +turned back when the length needed for the design is woven and another +dark one introduced, each one to be turned back at the necessary place +and taken up in the next row. Of course, while the design is in +progress one must use several pieces of filling in each row of +weaving. + +The black border can only be made by introducing a large number of +short pieces of the contrasting colour which is to be used in the +design and tacking them in place as the weaving proceeds. Of course, +in this case thin cloth should be used for the colour-blocks, as +otherwise the doubling of texture would make an uneven surface. If the +rug is a woolen one, not liable to be washed, this variation of color +in pattern can be cleverly made by brushing the applied color pieces +lightly with _glue_. Of course, in this case the design will show only +on the upper side of the rug. In fact, the only way to make the +design show equally on both sides is by turning back the warp, as in +the arrow design, or by actually cutting out and sewing in pieces of +colour. + +By following out the device of using glue for fastening the bits of +colour which make border designs many new and very interesting effects +can be obtained, as most block and angle forms can be produced by +lines made in weaving. It is only where the rug must be constantly +subject to washing that they are not desirable. It must be remembered +that the warp threads bind them into place, after they are +glue-fastened. + +Large rugs for centres of rooms can be made of woolen rags by weaving +a separate narrow border for the two sides. If the first piece is +three feet wide by eight in length, and a foot-wide border is added at +the sides, it will make a rug five feet wide by eight feet long; or if +two eight-foot lengths are sewn together, with a foot-wide border, it +will make an eight-by-eight centre rug. The border should be of black +or very dark coloured filling. In making a bordered rug, two dark ends +must be woven on the central length of the rug--that is, one foot of +black or dark rags can be woven on each end and six feet of the "hit +or miss" effect in the middle. This gives a strip of eight feet long, +including two dark ends. The separate narrow width, one foot wide and +sixteen feet in length, must be added to this, eight feet on either +side. The border must be very strongly sewn in order to give the same +strength as in the rest of the rug. + +The same plan can be carried out in larger rugs, by sewing breadths +together and adding a border, but they are not easily lifted, and are +apt to pull apart by their own weight. Still, the fact remains that +very excellent and handsome rugs can be made from rags, in any size +required to cover the floor of a room, by sewing the breadths and +adding borders, and if care and taste are used in the combinations as +good an effect can be secured as in a much more costly flooring. + +The ultimate success of all these different methods of weaving rag +rugs depends upon the amount of beauty that can be put into them. They +possess all the necessary qualities of durability, usefulness and +inexpensiveness, but if they cannot be made beautiful other estimable +qualities will not secure the wide popularity they deserve. Durable +and beautiful colour will always make them salable, and good colour is +easily attainable if the value of it is understood. + +There are two ways of compassing this necessity. One is to buy, if +possible, in piece ends and mill waste, such materials as Turkey red, +blue and green ginghams, and blue domestics and denims, as well as all +the dark colours which come in tailors' cuttings. The other and better +alternative is to buy the waste of white cotton mills and dye it. For +the best class of rugs--those which include beauty as well as +usefulness, and which will consequently bring a much larger price if +sold--it is quite worth while to buy cheap muslins and calicoes; and +as quality--that is, coarseness or fineness--is perfectly immaterial, +it is possible to buy them at from four to five cents per yard. These +goods can be torn lengthwise, which saves nearly the whole labor of +sewing them, and from eight to ten yards, according to their fineness, +will make a yard of weaving. The best textile for this is undoubtedly +unbleached muslin, even approaching the quality called "cheesecloth." +This can easily be dyed if one wishes dark instead of light colours, +and it makes a light, strong, elastic rug which is very satisfactory. + +In rag carpet weaving in homesteads and farmhouses--and it is so truly +a domestic art that it is to be hoped this kind of weaving will be +confined principally to them--some one of the household should be +skilled in simple dyeing. This is very important, as better and +cheaper rugs can be made if the weaver can get what she wants in +colour by having it dyed in the house, rather than by the chance of +finding it among the rags she buys. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +DYEING. + + +In the early years of the past century a dye-tub was as much a +necessity in every house as a spinning wheel, and the re-establishment +of it in houses where weaving is practised is almost a necessity; in +fact, it would be of far greater use at present than in the days when +it was only used to dye the wool needed for the family knitting and +weaving. All shades of blue, from sky-blue to blue-black, can be dyed +in the indigo-tub; and it has the merit of being a cheap as well as an +almost perfectly fast dye. It could be used for dyeing warps as well +as fillings, and I have before spoken of the difficulty, indeed almost +impossibility, of procuring indigo-dyed carpet yarn. + +Blue is perhaps more universally useful than any other colour in rag +rug making, since it is safe for both cotton and wool, and covers a +range from the white rug with blue warp, the blue rug with white +warp, through all varieties of shade to the dark blue, or clouded +blue, or green rug, upon white warp. It can also be used in connection +with yellow or orange, or with copperas or walnut dye, in different +shades of green; and, in short, unless one has exceptional advantages +in buying rags from woolen mills, I can hardly imagine a profitable +industry of rag-weaving established in any farmhouse without the +existence of an indigo dyeing-tub. + + +RED. + +The next important color is red. Red warps can be bought, but the +lighter shades are not even reasonably fast; and indeed, the only sure +way of securing absolutely fast colour in cotton warp is to dye it. +Prepared dyes are somewhat expensive on account of the quantity +required, but there are two colours, Turkey red and cardinal red, +which are extremely good for the purpose. These can be brought at +wholesale from dealers in chemicals and dye-stuffs at much cheaper +rates than by the small paper from the druggist. + + +COPPERAS. + +The ordinary copperas, which can be bought at any country store, gives +a fast nankeen-coloured dye, and this is very useful in making a dull +green by an after-dip in the indigo-tub. + + +WALNUT. + +There are some valuable domestic dyes which are within the reach of +every country dweller, the best and cheapest of which is walnut or +butternut stain. This is made by steeping the bark of the tree or the +shell of the nut until the water is dark with colour. It will give +various shades of yellow, brown, dark brown and green brown, according +to the strength of the decoction or the state of the bark or nut when +used. If the bark of the nut is used when green, the result will be a +yellow brown; and this stain is also valuable in making a green tint +when an after-dip of blue is added. Leaves and tree-bark will give a +brown with a very green tint, and these different shades used in +different rags woven together give a very agreeably clouded effect. +Walnut stain will itself set or fasten some others; for instance, +pokeberry stain, which is a lovely crimson, can be made reasonably +fast by setting it with walnut juice. + + +RUST-COLOUR. + +Iron rust is the most indelible of all stains besides being a most +agreeable yellow, and it is not hard to obtain, as bits of old iron +left standing in water will soon manufacture it. It would be a good +use for old tin saucepans and various other house utensils which have +come to a state of mischievousness instead of usefulness. + + +GRAY. + +Ink gives various shades of gray according to its strength, but it +would be cheaper to purchase it in the form of logwood than as ink. + + +LOGWOOD CHIPS. + +Logwood chips boiled in water give a good yellow brown--deep in +proportion to the strength of the decoction. + + +YELLOW FROM FUSTIC. + +Yellow from fustic requires to be set with alum, and this is more +effectively done if the material to be dyed is soaked in alum water +and dried previous to dyeing. Seven ounces of alum to two quarts of +water is the proper proportion. The fustic chips should be well +soaked, and afterward boiled for a half-hour to extract the dye, which +will be a strong and fast yellow. + + +ORANGE. + +Orange is generally the product of annato, which must be dissolved +with water to which a lump of washing soda has been added. The +material must be soaked in a solution of tin crystals before dipping, +if a pure orange is desired, as without this the color will be a pink +buff--or "nankeen" color. + +What I have written on the subject of home dyeing is intended more in +the way of suggestion than direction, as it is simply giving some +results of my own experiments, based upon early familiarity with +natural growths rather than scientific knowledge. I have found the +experiments most interesting, and more than fairly successful, and I +can imagine nothing more fascinating than a persistent search for +natural and permanent dyes. + +The Irish homespun friezes, which are so dependable in colour for +out-of-door wear, are invariably dyed with natural stains, procured +from heather roots, mosses, and bog plants of like nature. It must be +remembered that any permanent or indelible stain is a dye, and if boys +and girls who live in the country were set to look for plants +possessing the colour-quality, many new ones might be discovered. I am +told by a Kentucky mountain woman, used to the production of reliable +colour in her excellent weaving, that the ordinary roadside smartweed +gives one of the best of yellows. Indeed, she showed me a blanket with +a yellow border which had been in use for twenty years, and still held +a beautiful lemon yellow. In preparing this, the plant is steeped in +water, and the tint set with alum. Combining this with indigo, or by +an after-dip in indigo-water, one could procure various shades of fast +blue-green, a colour which is hard to get, because most yellows, which +should be one of its preparatory tints, are buff instead of lemon +yellow. + +An unlimited supply and large variety of cheap and reliable colour in +rag filling, and a few strong and brilliant colours in warps, are +conditions for success in rag rug weaving, but these colours must be +studiously and carefully combined to produce the best results. + +I have said that, as a rule, light warps must go with dark filling and +dark warps with light, and I will add a few general rules which I have +found advantageous in my weaving. + +In the first place, in rugs which are largely of one colour, as blue, +or green, or red, or yellow, no effort should be made to secure _even_ +dyeing; in fact, the more uneven the colour is the better will be the +rug. Dark and light and spotted colour work into a shaded effect which +is very attractive. The most successful of the simple rugs I possess +is of a cardinal red woven upon a white warp. It was chiefly made of +white rags treated with cardinal red Diamond dye, and was purposely +made as uneven as possible. The border consists of two four-inch +strips of "hit or miss" green, white and red mixed rags, placed four +inches from either end, with an inch stripe of red between, and the +whole finished with a white knotted fringe. + +A safe and general rule is that the border stripes should be of the +same colour as the warp--as, for instance, with a red warp a red +striped border--while the centre and ends of the rug might be mixed +rags of all descriptions. + +It is also safe to say that in using pure white or pure black in mixed +rags, these two colours, and particularly the white, should appear in +short pieces, as otherwise they give a striped instead of a mottled +effect, and this is objectionable. White is valuable for strong +effects or lines in design; indeed, it is hard to make design +prominent or effective except in white or red. + + [Illustration: THE LOIS RUG] + +These few general rules as to colour, together with the particular +ones given in other chapters, produce agreeable combinations in very +simple and easy fashion. I have not, perhaps, laid as much stress upon +warp grouping and treatment as is desirable, since quite distinct +effects are produced by these things. Throwing the warp into groups of +three or four threads, leaving small spaces between, produces a sort +of basket-work style; while simply doubling the warp and holding it +with firm tension gives the honeycomb effect of which I have +previously spoken. If the filling is wide and soft, and well pushed +back between each throw of the shuttle, it will bunch up between the +warp threads like a string of beads, and in a dark warp and light +filling a rim of coloured shadow seems to show around each little +prominence. Such rugs are more elastic to the tread than an +even-threaded one, and on the whole may be considered a very desirable +variation. + +It is well for the weaver to remember that every successful experiment +puts the manufacture on a higher plane of development and makes it +more valuable as a family industry. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +INGRAIN CARPET RUGS. + + +Undoubtedly the most useful--and from a utilitarian point of view the +most perfect--rag rug is made from worn ingrain carpet, especially if +it is of the honest all-wool kind, and not the modern mixture of +cotton and wool. There are places in the textile world where a mixture +of cotton and wool is highly advantageous, but in ingrain carpeting, +where the sympathetic fibre of the wool holds fast to its adopted +colour, and the less tenacious cotton allows it to drift easily away, +the result is a rusty grayness of colour which shames the whole +fabric. This grayness of aspect cannot be overcome in the carpet +except by re-dyeing, and even then the improvement may be transitory, +so an experienced maker of rugs lets the half-cotton ingrain drift to +its end without hope of resurrection. + +The cutting of old ingrain into strips for weaving is not so serious a +task as it would seem. Where there is an out-of-doors to work in, the +breadths can easily be torn apart without inconvenience from dust. +After this they should be placed, one at a time, in an old-fashioned +"pounding-barrel" and invited to part with every particle of dust +which they have accumulated from the foot of man. + +For those who do not know the virtues and functions of the +"pounding-barrel," I must explain that it is an ordinary, tight, +hard-wood barrel; the virtue lying in the pounder, which may be a +broom-handle, or, what is still better, the smooth old oak or ash +handle of a discarded rake or hoe. At the end of it is a firmly fixed +block of wood, which can be brought down with vigour upon rough and +soiled textiles. It is an effective separator of dust and fibre, and +is, in fact, a New England improvement upon the stone-pounding process +which one sees along the shores of streams and lakes in nearly all +countries but England and America. + +If the pounding-barrel is lacking, the next best thing is--after a +vigorous shaking--to leave the breadths spread upon the grass, subject +to the visitations of wind and rain. After a few days of such +exposure they will be quite ready to handle without offense. Then +comes the process of cutting. The selvages must be sheared as narrowly +as possible, since every inch of the carpet is valuable. When the +selvages are removed, the breadths are to be cut into long strips of +nearly an inch in width and rolled into balls for the loom. If the +pieces are four or five yards in length, only two or three need to be +sewn together until the weaving is actually begun, as the balls would +otherwise become too heavy to handle. As the work proceeds, however, +the joinings must be well lapped and strongly sewn, the rising of one +of the ends in the woven piece being a very apparent blemish. + +Rugs made of carpeting require a much stronger warp than do ordinary +cotton or woolen rugs, and therefore a twine made of flax or hemp, if +it be of fast colour, will be found very serviceable. Some weavers +fringe the rags by pulling out side threads, and this gives an effect +of _nap_ to the woven rug which is very effective, for as the rag is +doubled in weaving the raveled ends of threads stand up on the +surface, making quite a furry appearance. I have a rug treated in +this way made from old green carpeting, woven with a red warp, which +presents so rich an appearance that it might easily be mistaken for a +far more costly one. It has, however, the weak point of having been +woven with the ordinary light-red warp of commerce, and is therefore +sure to lose colour. If the warp had been re-dyed by the weaver, with +"Turkey red," it would probably have held colour as long as it held +together. + +This cutting of ingrain rags would seem to be a serious task, but +where weaving is a business instead of an amusement it is quite worth +while to buy a "cutting table" upon which the carpet is stretched and +cut with a knife. This table, with its machinery, can be bought +wherever looms and loom supplies are kept, at a cost of from seven to +eight dollars. If the strips are raveled at all, it should be at least +for a third of an inch, as otherwise the rug would possess simply a +rough and not a napped surface. If the strips are cut an inch in width +and raveled rather more than a third on each side, it still leaves +enough cloth to hold firmly in the weaving, but I have known one +industrious soul who raveled the strips until only a narrow third was +left down the middle of the strip, and this she found it necessary to +stitch with the sewing machine to prevent further raveling. I have +also known of the experiment of cutting the strips on the bias, +stitching along the centre and pulling the two edges until they were +completely ruffled. Although this is a painstaking process, it has +very tangible merits, as, in the first place, absolutely nothing of +the carpet is wasted--no threads are pulled out and thrown away as in +the other method--and in the next the sewings together are overhand +instead of lapped. The raveled waste can often be used as filling for +the ends of rugs if it is wound as it is pulled from the carpet rags. +Indeed, one can hardly afford to waste such good material. + +It will be seen that there are great possibilities in the carpet rug. +Even the unravelled ones are desirable floor covering on account of +their weight and firmness. They lie where they are placed, with no +turned-up ends, and this is a great virtue in rugs. + +Of course much of the beauty of the ingrain carpet rug depends upon +the original colour of the carpet. Most of those which are without +design will work well into rugs if a strongly contrasting colour is +used in the warp. If, for instance, the carpet colour is plain blue, +the warp should be white; if yellow, either an orange warp, which will +make a very bright rug, or a green warp, which will give a soft +yellowish green, or a blue, which will give a general effect of green +changing to yellow. + +If the carpet should be a figured one, a red warp will be found more +effective than any other in bringing all the colours together. If it +should happen to be faded or colourless, the breadths can be dipped in +a tub of strong dye of some colour which will act well upon the +previous tint. If, for instance, it should be a faded blue, it may be +dipped in an indigo dye for renewal of colour, or into yellow, which +will change it into green. A poor yellow will take a brilliant red +dye, and a faded brown or fawn will be changed into a good claret +colour by treating it with red dye. Faded brown or fawn colours will +take a good dark green, as will also a weak blue. Blue can also be +treated with yellow or a fresher blue. + +Of course, in speaking of this kind of dyeing, the renewal of old +tints, it is with reference to the common prepared dyes which are for +sale--with directions--by every druggist, and with a little knowledge +of how these colours act upon each other one can produce very good +effects. It is quite a different thing from the dyeing of fibre which +is to be woven into cloth. In the latter case it is far wiser to use +vegetable dyes, but in the freshening of old material the prepared +mineral dyes are more convenient and sufficiently effective. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +WOVEN RAG PORTIERES. + + +Rag weaving is not necessarily confined to rugs, for very beautiful +portieres and table and lounge covers may be woven from carefully +chosen and prepared rags. The process is practically the same, the +difference being like that between coarse and fine needlework, where +finer material and closer and more painstaking handiwork is bestowed. +The result is like a homespun cloth. Both warp and woof must be finer +than in ordinary carpet weaving. Instead of coarse cotton yarn, warp +must be fine "mercerized" cotton, or of linen or silk thread, and the +warp threads are set much closer in the loom. In place of ten or +twelve threads to the inch, there should be from fifteen to twenty. +The woof or filling may be old or new, and either of fine cotton, +merino, serge, or other wool material, or of silk. The ordinary +"silk-rag portiere" is not a very attractive hanging, being somewhat +akin to the crazy quilt, and made, as is that bewildering production, +from a collection of ribbons and silk pieces of all colours and +qualities, cut and sewed together in a haphazard way, without any +arrangement of colour or thought of effect, and sent to the weaver +with a vague idea of getting something of worth from valueless +material. This is quite a different thing from a silk portiere made +from some beautiful old silk garment, which is too much worn for +further use, where warp and woof colour are selected for fitness and +harmony, and the weaver uses her rags, as the painter does his +colours, with a purpose of artistic effect. If the work is done from +that point of view, the last state of the once beautiful old garment +may truly be said to be better than the first. If a light cloth is +used for this kind of manufacture, it may be torn into strips so +narrow as to simulate yarn--and make what appears to be yarn weaving. +This cannot well be done with old or worn cloth, because there is not +strength in the very narrow strip to bear the strain of tearing; but +new muslin, almost as light as that which is known as "cheesecloth," +treated in this way makes a beautiful canvas-like weaving which, if +well coloured, is very attractive for portieres or table covers. + +If one has breadths of silk of a quality which can be torn without +raveling, and is sufficiently strong to bear the process, it is +delightful material to work with. If it is of ordinary thickness, a +half-inch in width is quite wide enough, and this will roll or double +into the size of ordinary yarn. If the silk is not strong enough to +tear, it is better to cut the strips upon the bias than straight, and +the same is true of fine woolens, like merinos, cashmeres, or any +worsted goods. There is much more elasticity in them when cut in this +way, and they are more readily crushed together by the warp. + +I know a beautiful hanging of crimson silk, or rather of crimson and +garnet--the crimson having been originally a light silk dress dyed to +shade into the garnet. The two coloured rags were sewn together "hit +or miss" fashion and woven upon a bright cardinal-coloured warp. There +was no attempt at border: it was simply a length of vari-coloured +coarse silk weaving, absolutely precious for colour and quality. + +Treated in this way, an old silk gown takes on quite a new value and +becomes invested with absorbing interest. Spots and tarnish disappear +in the metempsychosis, or serve for scattered variation, and if the +weaver chooses to still further embellish it with a monogram or design +in cross stitch embroidery, she has acquired a piece of drapery which +might be a valuable inheritance to her children. + +Merino or cashmere which has been worn and washed, and is coupled with +other material of harmonizing colour, like pieces of silk or velvet, +is almost as valuable for the making of portieres and table covers as +if it were silk. Indeed, for the latter purpose it is preferable, +being generally washable. + +Cotton hangings made in this way are often very desirable. "Summer +muslins" which have served their time as dresses, and are of beautiful +colour and quite strong enough to go into the loom, can be woven with +a warp of gray linen thread into really beautiful hangings, especially +the strong, plain tints--the blues and greens and reds which have +been so much worn of late years. They have the advantage of being +easily washable, and are particularly suitable for country-house +hangings. Even worn sheets and pillow-cases can be dyed to suit the +furnishing of different rooms, and woven with a silk warp of stronger +colour. They should be torn into strips not more than a third of an +inch wide, so that it may crush into a roll not larger than an +ordinary yarn. This will weave into a light, strong cloth, always +interesting because it differs from anything which can be purchased +through ordinary channels. To reappear in the shape of a beautiful and +valuable rag-weaving is the final resurrection of good textiles, when +they have performed their duty in the world and been worn out in its +service. + +These home-woven portieres are better without borders, the whole +surface being plain or simply clouded by mixing two tints of the same +colour together. They can be elaborated by adding a hand-made fringe +of folds of cloth sewn into a lattice and finished with tassels. This +is quite a decorative feature, and particularly suitable to the +weaving. + +It can easily be understood that a large share of the beauty of making +these household furnishings lies in the colour. If that is good the +rug or portiere or table-cover is beautiful. If it is either dull or +glaring, the pleasure one might have in it is lacking, and it is quite +within one's power to have the article always beautiful. + +It must also be remembered, if weaving is taken up as a source of +profit, that _few things which do not please the eye will sell_. +Therefore, if for no other reason, it is well worth while for the +weaver to first study the choice, production and combination of +beautiful colours rather than the fabric of the rug. + +I have said, and will reiterate, that for this particular kind of +manufacture--the restoration and adaptation of old goods, and the +strengthening of tints in carpet warps--the yellows and reds of the +Magic or Diamond dyes of commerce are effective and reliable. Indeed, +for new goods cardinal dye is all that could be asked, but when it +comes to the use of dyes for the weaving of textiles and artistic +fabrics, one must resort to dye woods and plants. + + [Illustration: KNOTTED WARP FRINGE FOR WOVEN TABLE-COVER] + + [Illustration: SEWED RAG FRINGE FOR WOVEN PORTIERE] + + +FRINGES. + +Nothing is more important than the proper _finish_ of the rug, and +this generally consists in a careful going over of the work after it +has come from the loom--the cutting of stray ravelings and sewing of +loose ends, and the knotting of the long warp ends. + +It is only a very careless or inexperienced weaver who leaves the warp +ends in the state in which they come from the loom; and indeed they +can be made one of the most effective features of the rug. Simple +knotting of every six threads will make them safe from raveling, and +sometimes the shortness of the warp ends allows no more than this. It +is well worth while, however, to leave six or eight inches to work +into decorative fringes, and these can be made in various ways, of +which illustrations are given. + +In the case of decorative fringes there can be double or triple +knotting--straight, or worked into points; braided fringes which have +the merit of both strength and beauty, and are free from the +tangle-trouble of long fringes, and the very effective rag-lattice +finish for portieres and table-covers. Indeed, half the beauty of the +rug may lie in the fringing and finish. + + +PROFITS. + +The pecuniary gain from rag rug weaving may easily be calculated. +First of all comes the cost of the loom, which will be about seventy +dollars. The interest upon this, with necessary repairs, may be +reckoned at about five dollars per year. + +To every six-foot rug goes two-thirds of a pound of warp, and this +would amount to from ten-and-a-half to fourteen cents, according to +the rate of purchase. To every such rug must go three pounds of cotton +or two pounds of woolen rags, costing for cotton thirty and for woolen +fifty cents. To the cotton rugs must be added the possible cost of +dye-stuffs, which, again, might cost twenty cents, making cost of +material in either cotton or woolen rugs from sixty to sixty-four +cents. + +As far as profit is concerned, if rag rugs are well made they will +sell for two dollars each, if successful in colour, from two dollars +and a half to three and a half, and if beautiful and exceptional in +colour and finish from four to six dollars. But it must be remembered +that this latter price will be for rugs which have artistic value. +Probably the average weaver can safely reckon upon one dollar and +eighty-five cents to two dollars regular profit for the labor of +sewing and filling and weaving and knotting the rugs. It is fair to +accept this as a basis for regular profit, the amount of which must +depend upon facility of production and the ability to produce +unexceptionable things. + +But it is not alone pecuniary gain which should be considered. Ability +to produce or create a good thing is in itself a happiness, and the +value of happiness cannot easily be reckoned. The knowledge necessary +to such production is a personal gain. Everything we can do which +people generally cannot or do not do, or which we can do better than +others, helps us to a certain value of ourselves which makes life +valuable. For this reason, then, as well as for the gain of it, a loom +in the house and a knowledge of weaving is an advantage, not only for +the elders, but to the children. If the boys and girls in every +farmhouse were taught to create more things, they would not only be +abler as human beings, but they would not be so ready to run out into +the world in search of interesting occupations. A loom, a +turning-lathe, a work-bench, and a chest of tools, a house-organ or +melodeon, and a neighbourhood library, would keep boys and girls at +home, and make them more valuable citizens when independent living +became a necessity. Everything which broadens the life, which must by +reason of narrow means and fixed occupation be stationary, gives +something of the advantage of travel and contact with the world, and +the adding of profitable outside industries to farmhouse life is an +important step in this direction. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +WOOLEN RUGS. + + +There are two conditions which will make home weaving valuable. The +first is that the material, whether it be of cotton or wool, should be +grown upon the farm, and that it could not be sold in the raw state at +a price which would make the growing of it profitable. In wool crops +there are certain odds and ends of ragged, stained and torn locks, +which would injure the appearance of the fleece, and are therefore +thrown aside, and this waste is perfectly suitable for rug weaving. + +In cotton there is not the amount of waste, but the fibre itself is +not as valuable, and a portion of it could be reserved for home +weaving, even though it should not be turned to more profitable +account. + +The next condition is that the time used in weaving is also waste or +left-over time. If housekeeping requires only a quarter or half of a +woman's time, weaving is more restful and interesting, as well as +more profitable, than idleness; and in almost every family there are +members to whom partial employment would be a boon. + +There is no marketable value for spare time or for individual taste, +so that the women of the family possessing these can start a weaving +enterprise, counting only the cost of material at growers' prices. If +they can card, spin, dye and weave as well as the women of two +generations did before them, they have a most profitable industry in +their own hands in the shape of weaving. + +If materials must be purchased the profit is smaller, and the question +arises whether spare time and personal taste and skill can be made +profitable. This depends entirely upon circumstances and character. +When circumstances are or can be made favourable, and there is +industry and ambition behind them, domestic weaving is a beautiful and +profitable occupation. + +There are many neighbourhoods where the conditions are exactly +suitable to the prosecution of important domestic industries--localities +where sheep are raised and wool is a regular product, or where cotton +is grown and the weaving habit is not extinct. This is true of many +New England neighbourhoods and of the whole Cumberland Mountain +region, and it is in response to a demand for direction of unapplied +advantages that this book is written. + +I am convinced that the weaving of domestic wool or cotton rugs might +be so developed in the mountain regions of the South as to greatly +decrease the importation of Eastern ones of the same grade. + +An endless variety might be made in these localities, the difference +of climate, material and habits of thought adding interest as well as +variety, and it is safe to say that the home market is waiting for +them. Housekeepers have learned by experience that a rug which can be +easily lifted and frequently shaken is not only far more cleanly, and +consequently safer, from a sanitary point of view, than a carpet, but +that it has other merits which are of economic as well as esthetic +importance. + +A rug is more durable than a carpet of equal weight and texture +because it can be constantly shifted from points of wear to those +which are less exposed. It can be moved from room to room, or even +from house to house, without the trouble of shaping or fitting; and +last but not least, it brings a concentration of colour exactly where +it is needed for effect, and this is possible to no other piece of +house furnishing. In short, there seems to be no bar to its general +acceptance, excepting the bad floors of our immediate predecessors in +building. + +It only needs that cost, quality and general effect of the home-woven +rugs should be shaped into perfect adaptation to our wants, to make +them as necessary a part of ordinary house-furnishing as chairs and +tables. + +These three requirements are within the reach of any home-weaving +farmer's wife who will give to the work the same thought for +economical conditions, the same ambition for thorough work and the +same intelligent study which her husband bestows upon his successful +farming. + +As there is already one American rug which fulfills most of these +conditions, it is well to consider it as a starting point for +progress. This is the heavy Indian rug known as the Navajo blanket. +Originally fashioned to withstand the cold and exposure of outdoor +life, it has combined thickness, durability and softness with +excellent colour and weaving and perfectly characteristic design. + +In the best examples, where the wool is not bought from traders, but +carded, spun and dyed by the weaver, the Navajo blanket is a perfect +production of its kind, and I cannot help wondering that the +manufacture of these rug-like blankets--some of which are of great +intrinsic value--should have been so long confined to a primitive +race, living at our very doors. The whole process of spinning, dyeing +and weaving could be carried on in any farmhouse, using the coarsest +and least valuable wool, and by reliable and well-chosen colour, good +weight and careful weaving bringing the manufacture into a prominent +place among the home productions of our people. + +One can hardly imagine simpler machinery than is used by the Indians. +It is scarcely more than a parallelogram of sticks, supported by a +back brace, and yet upon these simple looms an Indian woman will +weave a fabric that will actually hold water. + +The clumsy, old-fashioned loom which is still in use in many +farmhouses is fully equal to all demands of this variety of weaving, +but there are already in the market steel-frame looms with fly +shuttles which take up much less room and are more easily worked. I +was about to say they were capable of better work, but nothing could +be better in method than the Indian rug, woven on its three upright +sticks; and after all it is well to remember that _quality is in the +weaver_, and not in the loom. The results obtained from the simplest +machinery can be made to cover ground which is truly artistic. + +As an example of what may be done to make this kind of weaving +available, we will suppose that some one having an ordinary loom, and +in the habit of weaving rag carpet, wishes to experiment toward the +production of a good yarn rug. The first thing required would, of +course, be material for both warp and woof. + +The warp can be made of strong cotton yarn which is manufactured for +this very purpose and can be bought for about seventeen cents a +pound. This is probably cheaper than it could be carded and spun at +home even on a cotton-growing farm. + +The wool filling should be coarse and slack-twisted, and on +wool-growing farms or in wool-growing districts is easily produced. If +it is of home manufacture, it may be spun as loosely or slackly as +possible, dyed and woven without doubling, which will be seen to be an +economy of labor. The single thread, slackly twisted, gives a very +desirable elasticity to the fabric, because the wool fibre is not too +closely bound or packed. On the other hand, if the wool as well as the +warp must be bought, it is best to get it from the spinning machine in +its first state of the single thread, and do the doubling and twisting +at home. In this case it can be doubled as many or as few times as it +is thought best, and twisted as little as possible. + +The next and most important thing is colour, and it is a great +advantage if the dyeing can be done at home. There is a strong and +well-founded preference among art producers in favor of vegetable +dyes, and yet it is possible to use certain of the aniline colours, +especially in combination, in safe and satisfactory ways. + +Every one who undertakes domestic weaving must know how to dye one or +two good colours--black, of course, and the half-black or gray which a +good colourist of my acquaintance calls _light black_; indigo blue +equally, of course, in three shades of very dark, medium and light; +and red in two shades of dark and light. Here are seven shades from +the three dyes, and when we add white we see that the weaver is +already very well equipped with a variety of colour. The eight shades +can be still further enlarged by clouding and mixing. The mixing can +be done in two ways, either by carding two tints together before +spinning, or by twisting them together when spun. + +Carding together gives a very much better effect in wool, while +twisting together is preferable in cotton. + +Dark blue and white or medium blue and white wool carded together will +give two blue-grays, which cannot be obtained by dyeing, and are most +valuable. White and red carded together give a lovely pink, and any +shade of gray can be made by carding different proportions of black +and white or half-black and white. A valuable gray is made by carding +black and white wool together (and by black wool I mean the natural +black or brownish wool of black sheep). Mixing of deeply dyed and +white wool together in carding is, artistically considered, a very +valuable process, as it gives a softness of colour which it is +impossible to get in any other way. Clouding--which is almost an +indispensable process for rug centres--can be done by winding certain +portions of the skeins or hanks of yarn very tightly and closely with +twine before they are thrown into the dye-pot. The winding must be +close enough to prevent the dye penetrating to the yarn. This means, +of course, when the clouding is to be of white and another colour. If +it is to be of two shades of one colour, as a light and medium blue, +the skein is first dyed a light blue, and after drying is wound as I +have described, and thrown again into the dye-pot, until the unwound +portions become the darker blue which we call medium. + +In a neighbourhood where weaving is a general industry, it is an +advantage if some one person who has a general aptitude for dyeing +and experiments in colours undertakes it as a business. This is on the +principle that a person who does only one thing does it with more +facility and better than one who works in various lines. Yet even when +there is a neighbourhood dyer, it is, as I have said, almost +indispensable that the weaver should know how to dye one or two +colours and to do it well. + +Supposing that the material, in the shape of coarse cotton warp, +black, red or white, has been secured, or that a wool filling in the +colours and shades I have described has been prepared for weaving; the +loom is then to be warped, at the rate of fifteen or less threads to +the inch, according to the coarseness or fineness of the filling. + +It is well to weave a half-inch of the cotton warp for filling, as +this binds the ends more firmly than wool. Next to this, a border of +black and gray in alternate half-inch stripes can be woven, and +following that, the body of the rug in dark red, clouded with white. +After five feet of the red is woven, a border end of the black and +gray is added, and the rug may be cut from the loom, leaving about +four inches of the warp at either end as a fringe. If the filling +yarn is of good colour, and has been well packed in the weaving, _so +as to entirely cover the warp_, the result will be a good, attractive +and durable woolen rug, woven after the Navajo method. + +In this one example I have given the bare and simple outline by +following which a weaver whose previous work has been only rag carpet +weaving can manufacture a good and valuable wool rug. The difference +will be simply that of close warping and a substitution of wool for +rags. Its value will be considerably increased or lessened by the +choice of material both in quality and colour and the closeness and +perfection of weaving. + +The example given calls for a rug six feet long by three feet in +width. To make this very rug a much more important one, it needs only +to vary the size of the border. For a larger rug the length must be +increased two feet, and the border, which in this case must be of +plain or mixed black--that is, it must not be alternated with stripes +of gray--must measure one foot at either end. When this is complete, +two narrow strips one foot in width, woven with mixed black filling, +must be sewed on either side, making a rug eight feet long and five in +width. It is not a disadvantage to have this border strip sewn, +instead of being woven as a part of the centre. Many of the cheaper +Oriental weavings are put together in this way, and as many of the +older house-looms will only weave a three-foot width, it is well to +know that that need not prevent the production of rugs of considerable +size. + +Endless variations of this very simple yarn rug can be made with +variation in size as well as in colour. Two breadths and two borders, +the breadths three feet in width and the borders one foot and six +inches, will give a breadth of nine feet, which with a corresponding +length will give a rug which will sufficiently cover the floor of an +ordinary room. If the centre is skilfully mottled and shaded, it will +make a floor spread of beautiful colour, and one which could hardly be +found in shops. + + [Illustration: ISLE LA MOTTE RUG] + +The border can be made brighter, as well as firmer and stiffer, by +using two filling threads together--a red and a black; or an alternate +use of red and black, using two shuttles, will give a lighter and +better effect than when black is used exclusively. + +After size and weight--or, to speak comprehensively, _quality_--is +secured in this kind of simple weaving, the next most important thing +is colour. Of course the colour must be absolutely fast, but I have +shown how much variety can be made by shading and mixing of three fast +colours, and much more subtle and artistic effects can be produced by +weaving alternate threads of different colours. Indeed, the effects +obtained by using alternate threads can be varied to almost any +extent; as, for instance, a blue and yellow thread--provided the blue +is no deeper than the yellow--will give the effect of green to the +eye. If the blue is stronger or deeper, as it will almost necessarily +be, it will be modified and softened into a greenish blue. + +Red and white woven in alternate threads upon a white warp will give +an effect of pink, and with this colour for a centre the border should +be a good gray. + +Of course, alternate throwing of different coloured yarns makes the +weaving go more slowly than when one alone is used, and something of +the same colour effect can be produced by doubling, instead of +alternating. It is, of course, not quite the same, as one colour may +show either under or over the other, and the effect is apt to be +mottled instead of one of uniform stripes. + +The end in view in all these mixtures is _variation_ and liveliness of +colour, not an effect of stripes or spots; indeed, these are very +objectionable, especially when in contrasted or different colors. A +deepening or lightening of the same colour in irregular patches, as +will occur in clouded yarns, gives interest, whereas if these +cloudings were in strongly contrasted colours they would be crude and +unrestful. For this reason, if for no other, it is well to work in few +tints, and use contrasting colours only for borders. + +To show how much variety is possible in weaving with the few dyes I +have named, I will give a number of combinations which will produce +good results and be apt to harmonize with ordinary furnishing. By +adding orange yellow, which is also one of the simplest and safest of +dyes, we secure by mixture with blue a mottled green, and this +completes a range of colour which really leaves nothing to be desired. + +No. 1. _Colours black and red._ Border, alternate stripes of black and +dark red, as follows: First stripe of black, one and a half inches; +second stripe of red, one inch; third stripe of black, one inch; +fourth stripe of red, one-half inch; fifth stripe of black, +three-quarters inch; sixth stripe of red, one-half inch; seventh +stripe of black, half-inch; centre of light red clouded with dark red; +reversed border. + +No. 2. _Colours black and red._ Border one foot in depth, of black and +red threads woven alternately. Centre dark red, clouded with light +red. Woven six feet, with one-foot border at sides as well as ends. + +No. 3. _Colours red and white._ Border seven inches of plain red. +Centre of red and white woven alternately. + +No. 4. _Colours red and black._ Border black and red, threads woven +alternately, one foot in depth; centre of alternate stripes, two +inches in width, of dark red and light red; eight feet in length, with +foot-wide side borders, woven with alternate threads of red and +black. + +No. 5. _Colours red and black._ Border eighteen inches in depth, of +alternate red and black, half-inch stripes. Centre of dark red, +clouded with light. + +No. 6. _Colours gray, red and white_, to be woven of doubled, slightly +twisted threads. Border one foot in depth at ends and sides, woven of +red and gray yarn twisted together. Centre of red and white yarn in +twisted threads. + +No. 7. _Colours red and white._ Border of plain red, twenty inches in +depth. Centre in alternate half-inch stripes of red and white. + +No. 8. _Colours blue, red and black._ Border four inches deep of +black, two inches of plain red, one inch of black. Centre of clouded +blue. + +No. 9. _Colour blue._ Border eight inches of darkest blue. Centre of +clouded medium and light blue. + +No. 10. _Colours blue and white._ Border of very dark and medium blue +woven together. Centre of blue and white yarn woven together. + +No. 11. _Colours blue and white._ Border of medium plain blue. Centre +of blue, clouded with white. + +No. 12. _Colours blue and white._ Border of medium blue. Centre of +alternate stripes of one inch width blue, and half-inch white stripes. + +No. 13. _Colours blue and white._ Border twelve inches deep of dark +blue, clouded with medium. Centre of alternate threads of medium blue +and white. + +No. 14. _Colours blue, black and orange yellow._ Border eight inches +deep of black, one inch of orange, two of black. Centre, alternate +threads of blue and orange. + +No. 15. Border of doubled threads of dark blue and orange. Centre of +alternate stripes of inch wide light blue and orange woven together, +one-half inch stripes of clear orange and white woven together. + +In the examples I have given, wherever doubled threads of different +colours woven together are used, it must be understood that they are +to be slightly twisted, and that the warping for double-filling rugs +need not be as close as for single filling. Twelve threads to the inch +would be better than fifteen, and perhaps ten or eleven would be still +better. Doubled yarn of different colours produces a mottled or broken +effect, and this can often be done where the colours of the yarns do +not quite satisfy the weaver. If they are too dull, twisting them +slackly with a very brilliant tint will give a better shade than if +the original tint was satisfactory, but in the same way yarns which +are too brilliant can often be made soft and effective by twisting +them together with a paler tint. Minute particles of colour brought +together in this way are brilliant without crudeness. It is, in fact, +the very principle upon which impressionist painters work, giving pure +colour instead of mixed, but in such minute and broken bits that the +eye confounds them with surrounding colour, getting at the same time +the double impression of softness and vivacity. + +These examples of fifteen different rugs which can be woven from the +three tints of blue, red and orange, together with black and white, do +not by any means exhaust the possibilities of variety which can be +obtained from three tints. Each rug will give a suggestion for the +next, and each may be an improvement upon its predecessor. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +COTTON RUGS. + + +The warp-covered weaving which I have described in a previous chapter +as being the simplest and best method for woolen rugs, is equally +applicable to cotton weaving. It is, in fact, the one used in making +the cotton rugs woven in prisons in India, and which in consequence +are known as "prison rugs." They are generally woven in stripes of +dark and light shades of indigo blue and measure about four by eight +feet. They are greatly used by English residents in India, being much +better adapted to life in a hot climate than the more costly Indian +and Persian rugs, which supply the world-demand for floor coverings. + +In our own summer climate and chintz-furnished summer cottages they +would be an extremely appropriate and economical covering for floors. +The warp is like that of the Navajo blanket, a heavy cotton cord, the +filling or woof of many doubled fine cotton threads, which quite cover +the heavy warp, and give the ridged effect of a coarse _rep_. + +As I have said, they are woven almost invariably in horizontal stripes +of two blues, or blue and white, with darker ends and a warp fringe. +Simple as they are and indeed must be, as they are the result of +unskilled labour, they are pleasant to look at, and have many virtues +not dependent upon looks. They are warm and pleasant to unshod feet, +and therefore suitable for bedroom use. They are soft to shoe tread, +and give colour and comfort to a summer piazza. They can be hung as +portieres in draughty places with a certainty of shelter, and can be +lifted and thrown upon the grass to be washed by the downpour of a +thunder shower, and left to dry in the sun without detriment to colour +or quality. + +Surely this is a goodly list of virtues, and the sum of them is by no +means exhausted. Their durability is surprising; and they can be sewn +together and stretched upon large floors with excellent colour effect. +They can be turned or moved from room to room and place to place with +a facility which makes them more than useful. The manufacture is so +simple that a child might weave them, while at the same time, by a +skilful use of colour and good arrangement of border, they can be made +to fit the needs of the most luxurious as well as the simplest summer +cottage. In short, they are capable of infinite variation and +improvement, without departure from the simple method of the "prison +rug." + +Of course the variation must be in colour and the arrangement of +colour; and in studying this possible improvement it must be +remembered that cotton will neither take nor hold dyes as readily as +wool or silk, and that certain dyes which are very tenacious in their +hold upon animal fibre cannot be depended upon when applied to +vegetable fibre. There are, however, certain dyes upon which we can +safely rely. Indigo blue, and the red used in dyeing what is called +Turkey red, are reliable in application to both wool and cotton, and +are water and sun proof as well. Walnut and butternut stains will give +fast shades of brown and yellow, and in addition there is also the +buff or nankeen-coloured cotton, the natural tint of which combines +well with brown and blue. + +In giving directions for rug colourings in cottons, I shall confine +myself to the use of black, white, blue and red, because these colours +are easily procurable, and also because rugs manufactured from them +will fit the style of furnishing which demands cotton rugs. + +The examples I shall give call for graduated dyeing, especially in the +two tints of red and blue. + +Any one expecting to succeed in rug weaving must be able to procure or +produce from two to three planes of colour, as well as two mixtures in +each. These would be as follows: + +In blue:--1st, dark blue; 2d, medium blue; 3d, light blue. + +After these three tints are secure, three variations of blue can be +made by knotting the skeins more or less closely and throwing medium, +light blue and white together into the dye-tub. Here they must remain +until the white skeins show an outside of light blue; the light blue +skeins are apparently changed to medium, and the medium to dark. When +they are untied and dried they will show three clouded mixtures: + +1st, the medium blue clouded with dark; 2d, light blue clouded with +medium blue; 3d, white, clouded with light blue. + +Here we have six variations of the one tint. Red can be treated in the +same way, except that a rather light and a very dark red are all that +can be counted upon safely as plain tints. A very light red will not +hold. Therefore we have in reds:--1st, dark red; 2d, light red; 3d, +light red, clouded with dark; 4th, white, clouded with light red. + +This gives ten shades in these two tints, and when we add the +variations which seem to come of themselves in dyeing, variations +which are by no means subject to rule, we shall see that with these +two, and black and white, we are very well equipped. + +The more irregular the clouding, the better the results. The yarn may +be made into large double knots, or small single ones, or into more or +less tightly wound balls or bundles, and each will have its own +special and peculiar effect. Perhaps it is well to say that in +clouding upon white the colours should be kept as light as is +consistent with the tenacity of tint. + +After clouding, still another process in cotton mixtures is possible, +and this is in "doubling and twisting," which has the effect of +darkening or lightening any tint at will, as well as of giving a +mottled instead of a plain surface. + +Having secured variety by these various expedients, the next step is +to make harmonious and well-balanced combinations, and this is quite +as important, or even more so, as mere variety. + +There is one very simple and useful rule in colour arrangements, and +this is to make one tint largely predominant. If it is to be a blue +rug, or a pink, or a white one, use other colours only to _emphasize_ +the predominant one, as, for instance, a blue rug may be emphasized by +a border of red and black; or a red rug by a border of black and +white, or black and yellow. + +The border should always be stronger--that is darker or deeper in +colour--than the centre, even when the same colour is used throughout, +as in a light red rug, with dark, almost claret-red ends, or a medium +blue rug with very dark blue ends. + +White, however, can often be used in borders of rather dark rugs in +alternation with black or any dark colour, because its total absence +of tint makes it strong and distinct, and gives it _force_ in marking +a limit. + +One successful combination of colours will suggest others, and the +weaver who has taken pains to provide herself with a variety of +shades, and will follow the rules of proportion, will be at no loss in +laying out the plan of her weavings. + +The examples for fifteen weavings given in the paper on wool rugs are +equally available in cotton. I will, however, add a few variations +especially adapted for cotton rugs: + +No. 1. _Colours blue and white._ Border six inches of plain dark blue. +Six inches of alternate half-inch stripes of dark blue and white. Four +to five feet of clouded blue, border repeated, with four inches of +warp fringe as a finish. + +No. 2. _Colours blue and white._ Border eight inches wide of plain +medium blue. Centre, six feet of light blue, clouded with medium. Two +side borders eight inches wide; finish of white warp fringe. + +No. 3. _Colours black, white and red._ Border twelve inches of +alternate half-inch stripes of black and white. Centre, four feet of +light red, clouded with dark. Repeat border, and finish with warp +fringe. + +No. 4. _Colours red and white._ Border, twelve inches of dark and +light red, in twisted double thread. Centre, light red and white +twisted double thread. Repeat border and finish with four-inch fringe. + +No. 5. _Colours butternut-brown, walnut-yellow, red, and white._ +Border of six inches of brown and yellow, twisted together. Centre, +five feet of light red and white, twisted together. Repeat border, and +finish with fringe. + +No. 6. _Colours brown, blue, and clouded-white._ Border, half-inch +stripes of medium blue and brown alternated for six inches. Centre, +five feet of light blue, clouded with medium. Repeat border and finish +with warp fringe. + +These six examples may be varied to any extent by the use of clouded, +plain or mixed centres. Borders, as a rule, should be woven of +unclouded colours. + +A natural development of the cotton rug would be the weaving of coarse +cotton yarns into piece lengths which could be cut and sewn like +ingrain carpet, or like the fine cotton-warped mattings which have +been so popular of late years. They would have the advantage over +grass-weavings in durability, ease of handling and liveliness of +effect. Indeed, the latter consideration is of great importance, as +cotton carpets can be woven to harmonize with the chintzes and cottons +which are so much used in summer furnishings. This is especially true +of indigo-blue floor covering, since so few things are absolutely +perfect as an adjunct to the blue chambrays, striped awning-cloths, +denims, and India prints so constantly and effectively used in +draperies. Indeed, such excellent art in design has been devoted to +blue prints, both foreign and domestic, that one can safely reckon +upon their prolonged use, and this being taken for granted, it is well +to extend the weaving of mixtures of white and blue indefinitely. + +Although the warp-covered method described for woolen and cotton rug +weaving can very well be used for carpets, the still simpler one of +the alternate thread, or basket-weaving, when warp and filling are of +equal weight and size, can be made to answer the purpose quite as +well. In fact, there is a certain advantage in the latter method, +since it makes the warp a factor in the arrangement of colour. + +It is necessary in this style of weaving that the filling should be a +hand-twisted thread of the same weight and size as the warp, and of a +lighter or darker shade of the same colour. If the warp is dark, the +filling may be light, or the reverse. It should be warped at the rate +of about twenty-four threads to the inch. + +In this kind of weaving the colours must be plain--that is, +unclouded--as the variation is obtained by the different shades of +warp and filling. Still another variation is made by using a closer +warp of thirty threads to the inch and a large soft vari-colour +filling which will show between the warp threads with a peculiar +watered or vibratory effect. A light red warp, with a very loosely +twisted filling of black and white, or a medium blue warp with a black +and orange filling, will give extremely good results. + + [Illustration: GREEK BORDER IN RED OR BLACK] + + [Illustration: BRAIDED FRINGE] + + [Illustration: DIAMOND BORDER IN RED OR BLACK] + +What I have said thus far as to the weaving of woolen and cotton rugs, +and of cotton carpets, gives practical directions for artistic results +to women who understand the use of the loom in very simple weaving. Of +course, more difficult things can be done even with ordinary looms, as +any one who has examined the elaborate blue-and-white spreads our +grandmothers wove upon the cumbrous house-loom of that period can +testify. In fact, the degree of skill required in the weaving of these +precious heirlooms would be quite sufficient for the production of +rugs adapted to very exacting purchasers. + +Perhaps it is as well to add that the directions given in this and the +preceding chapter for rug weaving are designed not only or exclusively +for weavers, but also for club women who are so situated as to have +access to and influence in farming or weaving neighbourhoods. + +Home manufactures, guided by women of culture and means, would have +the advantage not only of refinement of taste, but of a certainty of +aim. Women know what women like, and as they are the final purchasers +of all household furnishings, they are not apt to encourage the +making of things for which there is no demand. + +I am often asked the question, How are all of these homespun and +home-woven things to be disposed of? To this I answer that the first +effort of the promoters or originators must be--_to fit them for an +existing demand_. + +There is no doubt of the genuineness of a demand for special domestic +weavings. Any neighbourhood or combination of women known to be able +to furnish such articles to the public would find the want far in +excess of the supply, simply because undirected or commercial +manufactures cannot fit personal wants as perfectly as special things +can do. It must be remembered, also, that the interchange of news +between bodies of women interested in industrial art will be a very +potent factor in the creation of a market for any domestic specialty. +In fact, it is in response to a demand that these articles upon +home-weavings have been prepared, and a demand for technical +instruction presupposes an interest in the result. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +LINSEY WOOLSEY. + + +It has often been given as a reason for the discontinuance of home +weaving, that no product of the hand loom can be as exact or as cheap +as that of the power loom. The statement as to cost and quality is +true, but so far from being a discouraging one, it gives actual +reasons for the continuance of domestic weavings. The very fact that +homespun textiles are not exact--in the sense of absolute +sameness--and not cheap, in the sense of first cost, is apt to be a +reason for buying them. Hand-weaving, like handwriting, is individual, +and this is a virtue instead of a defect, since it gives the variety +which satisfies some mystery of human liking, a preference for +inequality rather than monotonous excellence. + +Every hand-woven web differs from every other one in certain +characteristics which are stamped upon it by the weaver, and we value +these differences. In fact, this very trace of human individuality is +the initial charm belonging to all art industries, and even if we +discount this advantage, and reckon only money cost and money value, +durability must certainly count for something. A thing which costs +more and lasts longer is as cheap as one which costs less and goes to +pieces before its proper time. + +In a long and intimate acquaintance with what are called "art +textiles"--that is, textiles which satisfy the eye and the imagination +and fulfill more or less competently the function of use, I have +learned that certain very desirable qualities are more often found in +home-woven than in machine-woven goods. Something is wanting in each +of the excellent and wonderful variety of commercial manufactures +which would fit it for the various decorative and art processes which +modern life demands. To perfectly satisfy this demand, we should have +a weaving which is not only in itself an artistic manufacture, but +which easily absorbs any additional application of art. + +In my own mind I call the thing which might and does not exist, The +Missing Textile. To make it entirely appropriate to our esthetic and +practical needs, the missing textile must be strong enough for +every-day wear and use; it must be capable of soft, round folds in +hanging; and have the quality of elasticity which will prevent +creasing; and above all, it must have beautiful and lasting colour. If +it can add to these qualities an adaptability to various household +uses, it will achieve success and deserve it. These different +qualities, and especially the one of a natural affinity for such +art-processes as colour and embroidery, exist in none of our domestic +weavings, excepting only linsey woolsey. After much study of this +virtuous product of the mountain regions of our Southern States I find +it capable of great development. It has two qualities which are not +often co-existent, and these are strength and flexibility; and this is +owing not only to its being hand-woven, but also to its being a +wool-filled textile--that is, it is woven upon a cotton warp, with a +single twisted wool-filling. This peculiarity of texture makes it very +suitable for embroidery, since it offers little resistance to the +needle, and yet is firm enough to prevent stitches sinking into its +substance--a frequent fault with soft or loosely woven textiles. The +warp is generally made of what the weavers call mill yarns, cotton +yarns spun and often dyed in cotton mills; and when the cloth is woven +for women's wear it is apt to carry a striped warp of red and blue, +with a mixed filling made from spinning the wool of black sheep with a +small proportion of white. + +In searching for art textiles, one would not find much encouragement +in this particular variety of linsey woolsey, but the unbleached, +uncoloured material which is woven for all kinds of household use, or +piece-dyed for men's wear, is quite a different thing. In its undyed +state it is of a warm ivory tint, which makes a beautiful ground for +printing, and in my first acquaintance with it, which was made through +the women commissioners from Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia during +the Columbian Exposition, I made some most interesting experiments in +block printing upon this natural background. + +One can hardly expect that linsey woolsey will come into frequent or +common use as a printed textile, since the two processes of +hand-weaving and block-printing are not natural neighbours, but this +capacity for taking and holding stains is of great value in +embroidery, since it enables an artistic embroiderer to produce +excellent effects with comparatively little labour. A clever +needlewoman, working upon a fabric which takes kindly to stains, can +apply colour in many large spaces and inter-spaces in her design which +would otherwise have to be covered with stitchery, and in this +way--which is a perfectly accepted and legitimate one--she gains an +effect which would otherwise be costly and laborious. + +From the composite nature of this domestic fabric, its cross-weaving +of animal and vegetable fibre, it takes colour irregularly. Every +cross-thread of wool is deeper in tone than the cotton thread it +crosses, and this gives the quality which artists call vivacity or +vibration. Linsey woolsey even when "piece-dyed" has something of this +effect, and judicious and artistic colour treatment would complete its +claims to be considered an art textile. + +It is not to be supposed that the weavers themselves can work out +this problem. It will need the direction and encouragement of educated +and artistic women. Taking the fabric just as it exists, it is ready +for the finer domestic processes learned by the women of the South +during the hard years of the Civil War. The clever expedients of +stitchery, the ways in which they varied their simple home-manufactures, +and above all the knowledge gained of domestic "colouring," will be of +inestimable value in the direction of artistic industries. In truth, +Southern women have ways of staining and dyeing and producing +beautiful colour quite unknown to other American women. They know how +to get different grays and purples and black from logwood, and golden +and dark brown from walnut bark, and all the shades of blue possible +to indigo; and yellow-reds from madder, and rose-red and crimson from +pokeberry, and one yellow from pumpkin and another from goldenrod; and +they are clever enough to find mordants for all these dyes and stains, +and make them indelible. It needs exactly the conjunction which we +find in the South, of facile home-weaving, knowledge and practice of +experimental dyeing, and love of practical art, to develop true art +fabrics. + +To show what linsey woolsey is capable of, I will instance a material +woven in India in thin woolen strips of about twelve inches in width. +It is what we should call a _sleazy_ material to begin with. The +strips of different colours are sewn, and very badly sewn, together, +and they are also badly woven. Too flimsy for actual wear, they are +simply admirable vehicles for colour, and to this quality alone they +owe their popularity and importance. After being sewn together, the +strips are generally embroidered in a rough way, with a constantly +repeating figure on each breadth. The colour is certainly beautiful, a +contrast of soft blues, and a selection of unapproachable +browns--yellow-browns, red-browns, green-browns and gold-browns, with +yellows of all shades, and whites of all tints, and this colour-beauty +gives them a place as portieres and curtains where they do not belong +by intrinsic or constitutional worth. + +If one was intent only upon producing an imitation of the Bagdad +curtains in linsey woolsey, it would be easy to weave narrow lengths +of various colours, and by choosing those which were good contrasts or +harmonies, and embroidering them together with buttonhole-stitch, or +cat-stitch, or any ornamental stitch, to get something very like them +in effect and far better in quality. But it should be the aim of +domestic manufacture to do something which is _distinctive_, and +therefore it would be better to start with the intention of producing +the effect in one's own way. This could be done by weaving the cloth +in full width (which should, if possible, be four feet), depending +entirely upon the warp threads for colour. This, it may be remembered, +is already one of the means of variation applied to linsey woolsey in +weaving homespun dress goods; but in this case it must be carefully +chosen art-effort, using colours which are in themselves beautiful. In +depending upon the warp alone for colour the fact must be kept in mind +that it will be much obscured by the over-weaving of the wool filling. +It will be necessary, therefore, to use far stronger colours than if +they were to stand unmixed or unobscured. Vivid blue, strong orange, +flaming red and gold-brown could be used in the warp in stripes of +about ten inches in width, with two inches of dead black on the sides +and between each colour. The filling must be of one pale tint, either +an ivory white or lemon yellow, or a very pale spring green woven over +all. This would modify the violence of colour, giving an effect like +hoar frost over autumn leaves. As a simple weaving this would have a +beautiful effect, but when a coarse orange-coloured silk embroidery, +consisting of a waved stem and alternate leaves, is carried down the +centre of each black stripe, the simple length of linsey woolsey is +transformed into what would be called a very Eastern-looking and +valuable embroidery. + +This is just one of its possible and easily possible adaptations for +portieres and hangings. Quite another and perhaps equally popular one +would be cross-colour upon a tinted warp. In this case the warp might +be ivory white, yellow, light green, or even for darker effects, +claret red, dark blue, dark green, or black. If an ivory white or +light warp colour should be chosen, the cross-colours must be selected +with special reference to the warp tint. A beautiful effect for a +light room would be made on an ivory-coloured warp by weaving at the +top and also below the middle a series of narrow stripes like a Roman +scarf. There should be a finger's depth of rose colour at the top, and +this would be obtained by a filling of light red, woven upon the ivory +white warp. Then should come an inch stripe of pale blue, an inch of +gold, another inch of blue; three inches of orange, then the inch of +blue, the gold, and the blue again, and after that the rose-red for +two-thirds the length of the portiere, when the ribbon stripes should +again occur, after which the remaining third should be woven with a +deeper red or a pale green. + +Such a portiere would not require embroidery to complete its effect, +for if the tints were pure as well as delicate, it would be a lovely +piece of colour in itself. + +This variety or style of hanging would have the advantage of throwing +the burden of colour upon the wool, and as the animal fibre is apt to +be more tenacious in its hold upon colour than vegetable, the question +of fading would not have to be considered. + +These two varieties of artistic homespun can by experiment be made to +cover a great deal that is beautiful and artistic in manufacture, and +yet it leaves untouched the extensive field of plain piece-dyed or +yarn-dyed weavings. Yarn-dyed material always has the advantage of the +possible use of two colours, one in the warp and one in the filling, +but in certain places, as in upholstery, a solid colour produced by +piece-dyeing would be preferable. Linsey woolsey dyed in fast and +attractive colour would undoubtedly be a good material for upholstery +of simple furniture, because of its strength and durability, but it +seems to me its chief mission and probable future is to supply an +exceptional art textile; one which has the firmness and flexibility +belonging to hand-woven stuffs, and can be at the same time beautiful +in colour, capable of hard wear and reasonably inexpensive. I am +tempted to modify the last qualification, because no hand-woven goods +ought to be or can be inexpensive, in comparison with those +manufactured under every condition of competitive economy. And in +truth, domestic weavings are sure of their market at paying prices, +simply because they are what they are, _hand products_. + +I have shown in a limited way some of the possibilities of artistic +hand-weaving without touching upon cotton or flax diapers and damasks, +since these cannot readily compete with power-weavings, but I have not +spoken of the difference it would make in the lives of the mountain +weavers of the South if their horizon could be widened by the +introduction of art industries. Only those who know the joy and +compensation of producing things of beauty can realize the change it +might work in lives which have been for generations narrowed to merely +physical wants; but there are many gifted Southern women who do fully +realize it, and we may safely leave to them the introduction and +encouragement of art in domestic manufactures. + + + + +NEIGHBOURHOOD INDUSTRIES + +AFTER-WORD + + +I am often asked by women who are interested in domestic manufactures, +how one should go to work to build up a profitable neighbourhood +industry. To do this one must know the place and people, for anxious +as most country women are to earn something outside of farm profits, +they are both timid and cautious, and will not follow advice from +unpractical people or from strangers. + +In every farming community there will be one or two ingenious or +ambitious women who do something which is not general, and which they +would gladly turn to account. One woman may be a skilled knitter of +tidies, or laces, or rag mats; another may pull rags through burlap, +and so construct a thick and rather luxurious-looking door-mat; +another may have an old-fashioned loom and weave carpets for all the +neighbourhood; and each one of these simple arts is a foundation upon +which an industry may be built, important to the neighbourhood, and in +the aggregate to the country. + +The city woman or club woman who wishes to become a link between these +things and a purchaser must begin by improving or adapting them. She +must show the knitter of tidies an imported golf stocking with all of +the latest stitches and stripes and fads, and if the yarn can be had, +undoubtedly the tidy-knitter can make exactly such another. When a +good pair has been produced, the city friend will not have to look far +among her town acquaintances for a "golf fiend," even if she herself +is not one, and to him or her she must show the stocking and expatiate +upon its merits: That it is not machine-made, but hand-knit; that it +is thicker, softer, made of better material than woven ones, and above +all, not to be found in any shop, but must be ordered from a +particular woman who is a phenomenal knitter. All of which will be +true, and equally so when the demand has increased and it has become a +neighbourhood industry. + + [Illustration: THE LUCY RUG] + +A golf player hardly need be told how to create a demand for +hand-knit stockings, or how to assist the knitter by advice, both in +the improvement and disposal of her wares; but it should be a +veritable golf player and not a philanthropic amateur. + +It is the same with other industries. The adviser must study them, +improve them, adapt them, and find the first market, after which they +will sell upon their own merits. + +As far as I know, nothing has been done in the way of improvement of +knitted mats or rugs, although a very beautiful manufacture has been +founded upon the method of pulling rags through burlap. Knitted rugs +have much to recommend them. They can be made of all sorts of pieces, +even the smallest; they wear well, and can easily be made beautiful. + +The building up of a rag carpet or rag rug industry is a much simpler +matter, because the demand exists everywhere for cheap, durable and +well-coloured floor covering. In my own experience I have found that +the thing chiefly necessary is to teach the weavers that the colour +must be pleasing and permanent, and to put them in communication with +sources of supply of rags and warp. The rugs sell themselves, and +probably will continue to do so. + +The thing to remember when one wishes to be of use to their own and +other communities, is that they must be sure of a commercial basis for +the products before they encourage more than one person to begin a +manufacture, and that the demand must be in advance of a full supply. +Kindly and cultivated women who wish to be of real use to their summer +neighbours will find this a true mission. Their lives lie within the +current of demand, while the country woman lives within that of +supply, and it is much easier for the city woman to bridge the space +between than for her working neighbour. All good and well-founded +industries take care of themselves in time, but until the merchant +finds them out, and interposes the wedge of personal profit between +things and their market--inciting and encouraging both--it seems to be +the business of women in every lot of life to help each other. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of How to make rugs, by Candace Wheeler + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOW TO MAKE RUGS *** + +***** This file should be named 28109.txt or 28109.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/8/1/0/28109/ + +Produced by Irma Spehar and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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