Filling.—An all-wool ingrain " fill ing " in greens and other solid colors is another popular floor covering much used as a background for rugs. This is very durable, but like denim tends to fade in comparatively few years, and mast then be redyed or trans formed into rugs.
To Choose Carpets.—The effect of design in carpets is much the same as in wall paper. Large patterns tend to make a room seem small, and bor ders about the carpet have the same effect. The present tendency favors carpets in solid colors or having small and delicate patterns. Large patterns and all sorts of glaring contrasts of color should be avoided. Both very dark and very light carpets are diffi cult to keep clean, and carpets con taining blue, green, or other delicate colors, when exposed to sunlight, tend to fade.
As to color, carpets should, of course, harmonize with the general color scheme of the room. But as they cannot be changed as frequently as the wall coverings, they should, as a rule, be in neutral colors that will harmonize with almost any other scheme that may be adopted.
A point in favor of carpets having small patterns is that the two webs of which the carpet consists are much more closely interwoven if the design is small than if the pattern is a large one. Hence the carpet having a small design is likely to be more durable. Moreover, where there are no large patterns to attract the eye the results of wear are not so noticeable.
As to material, ingrain or three-ply carpets being of wool and capable of being turned and worn on both sides, probably give most wear for the money of any carpets on the market. But Brussels and tapestry carpets, which are somewhat more expensive, are also, on account of their beauty and excellent wearing qualities, in very general use.
Rag Carpet.—This is the cheapest carpet of all and can readily be made on a hand loom at home. It makes a thick and serviceable covering for the floors of kitchen or living rooms in winter. To make rag carpet, use a warp of strong cotton thread, and weave in any kind of rags twisted into small rolls.
To Color Rag-carpet Warp.—First use a strong cotton yarn reeled into skeins of five knots. About one skein to the yard of carpet will be required, with about three knots additional for binding at the end of each breadth.
For tan color first soak the warp thoroughly with lime water; next boil it in a brass or copper kettle in a strong solution of extract of hemlock bark in water. This is used by tan
ners for making leather, and may be obtained through a tanner or dealer is dye stuff.
For black color soak the warp in strong copperas water instead of lime water, and use iron or tin vessels in stead of brass or copper. Afterwards boil in the hemlock solution.
For slate color use weaker solu tions of copperas and hemlock.
For brown use a weak solution of copperas and a strong solution of hemlock. Thus, by a little experi menting, the shades of color may be varied at will.
Carpet Rags.—The contents of the rag bag should be first picked over, and rags intended to be used as car pet rags should be washed and ironed and afterwards ripped apart. Seams and worn spots should be rejected. They should then be sorted according to the colors of materials, and if not needed at once, stored away for fu ture use in paper bags. Woolen rags should be protected against moths by pasting the tops of- the bags together.
Rags of fast and satisfactory col ors need not be dyed. But better effects may often be obtained by dye ing all rags to suitable colors.
To cut carpet rags, trim around the outside of the rag, clipping off square corners, and continue cutting round and round until the rag is all cut up. By this means small pieces may be utilized, the rags will be of satisfac tory length, and will require less sew ing. Cotton rags and rags of fine dress goods make a smoother and bet ter-looking carpet than rags of heavy woolen colors. Hence the latter had better be kept separate and made into rugs or kitchen carpets.
The quantity of rags required for a carpet may be estimated by weight. For each yard one and one half to two pounds of rags, depending upon the material, will be required. In sewing, it is better to mix the different shades of the same color so that the stripes will be of an even and uniform shade. Thus the breadths will present the same appearance. But if the pepper and-salt pattern is desired all the colors may be mixed together. For this kind of carpet short pieces may be utilized. Rag carpets also come by the piece and may be bought in shops by the yard, the same as others. But when made at home or woven to order they can be ordered to fit the room, the breadths being made exact ly to measure and bound up at the ends. Allowance in ordering should be made for shrinkage, as the breadths tend to become a little shorter and wider with wear.