To Cut Carpets.—Before cutting a new carpet, unroll a little more than twice the length of the room, double this in the middle so that the edges will come side by side, and work it back and forth so as to match the pattern at a length a little longer than that of the room. The required num ber of strips can thus be cut in such a way that the pattern will be matched exactly without waste.
Try both ways on the floor before cutting, as it may be more economical to cut the lengths for the short way of the floor. Any pieces wasted in matching the pattern may be used to make rugs or foot stools, or to fill in recesses.
To Sew Carpets.—Sew with the through-and-through stitch, very close together.
Straw Matting.—When purchasing straw matting it is advisable to buy the best grade of fine white or unfig ured matting for all rooms alike; thus as it wears out it can be readily matched or replaced by putting good matting from two rooms together in one.
Matting Rugs.—Cut suitable lengths of matting and hem with twine string for use as summer rugs. Two or more breadths may be attached together if desired to make wide rugs. Use plain, or apply paint, or stain of any desired color. A large square rug can be made in this way to occupy the center of the floor, a border being made by painting or staining the floor, or cov ering with green denim or drugget.
Rag Rugs.—Very durable and use ful rugs may be made of all sorts of old rags in the same fashion as a rag carpet, or by braiding, or they may be knitted or drawn through burlap or canvas as in embroidery. Small pieces may be utilized by commencing at one side and cutting the width of a car pet rug almost to the end, then turn ing a corner and cutting along the side, and so going around the outside until the piece is cut up. After clip
ping off the square corners the rag will be found to be of convenient length. Carpet rags should be wound into balls of uniform size. They catch less dust, and do not become tangled. When ready to tack them, have a sew ing bee, or run them up on the sewing machine. This will enable you to do them very quickly.
Old stocking legs make especially pretty rugs.
To Make Drawn Rugs.—First pre pare a frame by nailing together four pieces of lathe or other light pine stuff, and stretch on this a piece of strong burlap or coarse canvas. Pre pare the rags by cutting them in a uniform width of one half inch or less, and wind each color in a separate ball. Draw the rags through the burlap by means of a hook, that can be extem porized from a piece of wire. Insert the hook from above between the warp and woof of the burlap, and draw the rag up from below so as to form loops projecting at uniform heights above the burlap. This is the prin ciple upon which Axminster carpet is made. A design may be traced on the burlap by means of chalk or char coal, and the outlines drawn with two or three rows of rags in different col ors. A little experience will indicate how closely together to draw the loops, which should project a half inch or less above the burlap. If desired, the loops may afterwards be clipped, as is done with the Wilton carpets, by means of a sharp pair of scissors.