Chapter Eleven
RAFFIA MATS
Method of weaving a raffia mat on the loom, showing colored stripes
Method of making raffia mats
The rods and the warp strings in kindergarten patterns
Mats of raffia are made like all the other mats. The warp may be of twine or carpet thread. In this case, the mat should be woven of raffia in the natural color, with stripes of bright color at each end; or, it may be of some dark tone with stripes of a contrasting color. By using a warp of raffia, many of the beautiful kindergarten designs can be produced. Use one color for the warp and another for the woof. The method of stringing a warp of raffia is described in "Methods of Stringing Warp," on page 45. The illustration shows a raffia mat in process of making. The natural color of raffia is used, with stripes of cardinal, and the method of stringing color in the warp to obtain this effect is clearly seen. The children will have no difficulty in carrying out the pattern, if they remember that the rods correspond to the border of the paper mat. Before stringing the warp for a kindergarten pattern, count the strips in the paper mat and begin to count on the loom from the rods. In this kind of work the string on top of the rod does not count. It forms the border of the mat.
A woven mat of raffia, from a kindergarten pattern in green and the natural color of the raffia
Stringing the warp
In making mats, or matting, of raffia, the material can be carried over the rods as in wool-weaving, or it can be finished on the edges in the same way as the real matting is done. This will be easily understood by examining a piece of matting. In stringing the warp, have three strings over each bar instead of one. Cut the woof strips several inches longer than the width of the loom. Weave the first strip, leaving a piece at each side. Thread a tape needle with one end and weave it in and out the three warp threads on the rod. Then cut it off close to the edge. Finish off all the ends in this way. When the work is removed from the loom, press the edges flat with a warm iron. It is a little easier to keep the pattern right by weaving in this way, and the work resembles the real matting more nearly. Use a tape needle for weaving raffia.
Porch curtains
If the doll house which we are fitting is a large one with porches, one could complete the furnishings with a porch curtain, for sunny afternoons.
Glove, trinket, and mouchoir boxes
Boxes of all kinds can be made of raffia woven in panels. It will make the box stronger and firmer to overhand a piece of rattan around the edges of the panels before joining them in the form of a box. Thread a worsted needle with a narrow strip of raffia and buttonhole the edges of the panels together; or, sew them over and over and cover with a braid of raffia. Spiral-weaving is pretty for this finishing. It is described in an article entitled "Straw-Weaving," in "American Homes" for September, 1900, a magazine published in Knoxville, Tenn. Glove, trinket, and mouchoir boxes are pretty for holiday gifts. By using different patterns and colors a great variety of them can be made.
Rugs of carpet wool
For rugs made of carpet wool, string a three-eighths-inch warp of twine, or oriental cord, the color of the body of the rug. Use a deep tone of red, olive green, or any preferred color, with a stripe at each end. A study of rugs will soon enable one to get the right proportion of rug and stripe. Beautiful rugs are made with a succession of Roman stripes separated by a narrow one of deep red, green, or blue, the ends of the rug being woven of the same color. Center and corner patterns can be woven by placing the pattern under the warp. By stringing a close warp of the same material all the designs for paper-weaving can be easily reproduced. Lengthwise stripes are also pretty. String the warp with different colors and weave a neutral color through them. The rug in the frontispiece is woven of heavy carpet wool, some of which is seen on the table.
Patterns for rugs
Fundamental form No. 1
Beautiful patterns for rugs can be made by cutting squares and triangles of paper according to directions given in the "Kindergarten Guides." The "Paradise of Childhood" has some very pretty ones. There are two fundamental forms for this paper-cutting. The first is made from a nine-inch square. Fold one diagonal, place the right acute angle upon the left so as to produce four triangles resting upon each other. The form now lies before you with the right angle at the right and two acute angles (one on top of the other) at the left. Lift one of these acute angles and place on top of the angle at the back, creasing the fold; then fold the remaining acute angle under to the same angle at the back, creasing as before. Now place the form with the right angle at the back and hold all the open edges to the left while cutting. Illustrations in the "Kindergarten Guides" show a network drawn on the triangle at the top as an aid to transferring the pattern.
A rug pattern from a square
A rug pattern from an equilateral triangle
Fundamental form No. 2
The second fundamental form is made from a six-fold equilateral triangle. Directions for folding and cutting this from the square are given in the "Paradise of Childhood." It can be cut, also, from a circle whose diameter is equal to the width of the rug desired. In drawing and cutting the pattern, hold the form with the entirely open sides toward you. The whole pattern is cut at once and the unfolding often reveals a charming design for a rug, which can be woven in tones or contrasting colors. If cut from colored paper, it can be mounted on white and placed under the warp. Beautiful original designs in conventional leaf and flower patterns can also be made.
Conventional leaf forms
To make a conventional leaf form, use fundamental form No. 1. Cut the leaf on the mid-rib and lay this part on the base of the triangle with the point of the leaf on the open edges at the left, and the stem on the closed part at the right. Draw around the edges of the leaf and cut, taking care not to separate the leaf forms at the center, which is at the closed part at your right hand.
Some excellent suggestions for this leaf-cutting in centerpieces and borders can be found in the "Pratt Institute Monthly" for April, 1900.
Dusters
Dusters for hardwood floors are best made of strips of old flannel. They can be made of stocking strips, or cheese cloth. Make two mats the full size of the loom, sew on three sides and run a gathering-string around the top. It will fit better if it has a piece of cheese cloth sewn at the top through which the gathering-string can be run. This makes a fine duster to slip over a broom. If one prefers, a continuous warp can be strung—the length to be twice the length of the broom part—and a long piece woven which will require sewing on two sides only.
A doll towel with fringed ends
Doll towels
Patterns for towel borders
Lunch cloths
Bedspreads
Quilts
Doll towels are very fascinating things to make. Adjust the loom for the required size. The exact proportion can be ascertained from a large towel. String the close warp with fine darning cotton and have the strings in pairs with fringe at each end. Allow several inches for fringe so that it can be knotted easily. The woof threads, which are also of fine darning cotton, should be pushed very closely and smoothly together. Plain stripes of red or blue, or fancy stripes made with a kindergarten design, can be woven. Observe the same directions for spacing the stripes which are given with the silkoline rug. The towel in the illustration is made of white darning cotton, with the stripes and initial of red. The children will be delighted to lay towel borders with their tablets, and after cutting and pasting with colored paper, weave them in towels for Miss Dolly's housekeeping. Cross-stitch the initial as previously directed. Lunch cloths and bedspreads can be made in the same way. These should be fringed all around. A cross-barred cloth or spread can be made by putting the color in the warp at regular intervals and weaving across with color and white to form squares. Pretty quilts of coarse cotton can be made with kindergarten designs. By weaving many squares, a large quilt can be made. See directions on page 50.
Bed and carriage blankets
Bed and carriage blankets are best made of single zephyr, although Germantown wool will do. The heavy carpet wools are also pretty. Some suggestions for this work have already been given under the head of Materials. These blankets are really mats, but made only for another use, and are to be woven in a similar way. Those with centers and borders are pretty, and the plaid ones are always attractive. (See illustration of the holder on page 92.)
Doll shawls
For doll shawls choose a pretty Scotch plaid and match the colors in fine wool. String a close warp with wool, copying the Scotch plaid exactly. Weave the colors across so that a "truly" plaid shawl may grace Miss Dolly's shoulders on the cold winter mornings. A striped shawl is pretty, or one having one color for the center and another for the border.
Doll skirt
Miss Dolly may have a lovely petticoat, too. String a continuous warp long enough for the width of the skirt. Adjust the rods for the length. By using a little color in the warp near the right edge of the weaving, the skirt will have some stripes. Twist a cord of the wool and run in the top for a draw-string.
Reins
To make reins, adjust for a narrow strip and string a close, continuous warp the length desired. Make a piece, also, to go across the front. Use Germantown knitting yarn. A black warp with a bright red woof is pretty.
A square Tam O'Shanter
In order to obtain a Tam O'Shanter for Dolly, first weave a square the required size. String a close warp with wool and weave a kindergarten pattern with two colors. When completed, remove from the loom, fold four corners to the center, turn them in to form an opening for the head, and fasten the edges by sewing, or by lacing with a cord made of the two colors. Fasten a tassel on the top and it is finished. Angora wool is pretty for these caps.
Fringe for a rug in red and black
Fringe
Threading the needle
Making the fringe into tassels
Removing the fringe from the loom
The head piece of the loom should be adjusted for the width of the rug for which the fringe is required. A rug nine inches wide would require fringe nine inches long. Adjust the rods one inch apart—that is, with one perforation between the rods. String the warp in every groove, one string over each rod and three between, making five in all. Weave over and under one until the heading is finished. If you have an extra side rod, place it in the sixth perforation from the right-hand rod. This will make tassels a little over two inches long. If a shorter fringe is preferred, adjust accordingly. If you have not an extra side rod remove the left one and place as directed, leaving the right one in the heading until the whole fringe is finished. Thread a large tape needle with two pieces of worsted, as long as the two can be conveniently managed. If the fringe is made of two colors, take one of each for the tassels, weaving the heading with the one which predominates in the rug. Run the ends in the grooves to fasten them. Wind under the right rod, which was left in the heading, through the first stitch, which includes the warp string over the rod, then over the extra rod to the right. Wind under again through the next stitch in the heading (always around the rod) and so on until the end is reached. To make this fringe into tassels, separate six strands of each color and tie with the two colors, running the tape needle and worsted along from one tassel to another, or tie each one securely and cut. The fringe will need no finishing at the ends. Run the short ends, which were wound through the grooves in the beginning in order to fasten them, through a few stitches in the heading. The fringe can be made of one color, and of any width. To take the fringe from the loom, first remove the rod at the end of the tassels and cut the fringe before removing the rods from the heading. This will insure straight cutting at the ends of the tassels. If one prefers a knotted fringe, cut and knot before removing the heading. By examining rug fringes in the furniture stores one can get a very good idea of the manner of knotting. (See also directions for splicing Germantown wool on page 84.)
Knotting
A simple fringe can be knotted quickly and easily in the ends of the warp strings, after the rug is taken from the loom. First decide upon the length of the fringe when finished. Add at least two inches to allow for knotting. Cut each piece of wool twice this length, double, and thread a tape needle. Pass the needle from the right side of the rug to the wrong, through the warp strings at the end of the rug. Draw the loop of wool through and unthread the needle. Pass the two ends of the wool down through the loop and draw it tight. When this has been done in every pair of warp strings, knot every other piece of the fringe together, in the same way that towel fringe is made.
This question of whether a rug should have fringe or not is much discussed at present. It is largely a personal one. The best way, perhaps, is to study different kinds of rugs and know which ones are usually made with fringe and which are not.
Bed shoes made of white wool
Bed shoes, or socks
Bed shoes
Baby shoes
Bed shoes of all sizes are easily woven, and make a useful holiday gift. They are made without soles and are intended to be drawn up around the ankle like a high moccasin. Use the soft double Germantown wool. White, fastened together with pink or blue, or white striped with a color, may be used, and are attractive. The socks in the illustration are of white wool with a pink seam up the instep and pink scallops around the top. One sock is shown on a last, and the other as it appears off the foot. The stripes in the knitting can be shown in the weaving by using a color. The full size of the loom makes a shoe of medium size. String a close warp with white wool. If the shoe is to be all white, weave with the same, leaving the color for the finishing. If it is to be striped, weave perhaps eight or ten times across with color and then with white; when the weaving is finished you will have a mat 9 × 12 inches. Double one of the short edges and sew over and over on the wrong side with white wool. This is the toe. The two long edges now lie together. They may be crocheted, or knitted, with colored wool by holding them close and fulling in, or by puckering a little. If this is done in color, it makes a pretty seam on the top of the foot and front of the ankle. The top may be finished by crocheting a beading and scallops of the colored wool. Run a ribbon or worsted cord through the beading. If desired, the long edges may be laced together with ribbon one-half inch wide. Baby shoes are made in the same way. To ascertain what length to adjust the loom, measure the sole, then up, back of the heel, to a point above the ankle. For the width, measure around the foot. Finish the cord with tassels or balls.
Worsted balls for bed shoes, and other articles
To make worsted balls, first cut two small circles from cardboard. From the center of each cut a smaller circle. Hold one circle over the other, and with a worsted or tape needle threaded with wool, wind over and over very closely until the hole in the center is completely filled. Always piece the wool on the outside edge. Cut the wool all around on the outside. Make a cord of the wool and slip between the two circles. Then tie so as to fasten all the pieces of wool in the middle, leaving the cord long enough to tie in a bow if desired. Tear the pasteboards, remove them, and trim the wool evenly. A second ball should be fastened on the other end of the cord, after it has been laced through the beading.
Photograph frames
To weave photograph and picture frames of silk, chenille, raffia, celluloid, or leather, proceed in the same way as for a bordered rug, having the oblong or square center the required size for the picture. Foundation frames for mounting the work can be purchased, usually, at the stores where tissue paper and flowers are sold.
Table mats
Square and oblong table mats for hot dishes can be made of candle-wicking, knitting cotton, or cheese cloth.
Tippet or scarf
To-day, tippets and scarfs are very little used, but they are very comfortable things to wear to school on a cold day. In order to make them, string a continuous warp of the required length with Germantown dark colored wool. Weave the same color for the woof, and brighten it at intervals with Roman stripes. A plaid scarf can be woven, if preferred; while with a close warp one can have a kindergarten pattern in another, or contrasting color.
Wristlets
In making wristlets, one must decide how long they are to be, and adjust the length on the loom. Measure around the wrist for the width, remembering that the wristlets will stretch when pulled over the hand. Weave in stripes or plaid, or, if desired, plain, stringing the warp with the same wool as is used in weaving. Remove the mat and sew the edges together.
Sleeve protectors
Sleeve protectors can be woven of raffia in the same way as wristlets. Make them so they can be fastened on the outside of the sleeve, like a cuff.
A table mat made from carpet wool
Purses, or chatelaine bags
Purses, or chatelaine bags, are made of knitting-silk. Beads can be added, if desired. Adjust the loom for the required size, and string a continuous warp, if necessary. One can obtain the silver or nickel tops, which open and close, at the department stores.
Borders for rugs or squares
Shopping and school bags
Opera glass bags
It will be better to use heavier material for shopping and school bags. Raffia makes a strong bag; silk strips are serviceable, and leather strips are good for school bags. For opera-glass bags, make two mats and lace or weave them together, or string a continuous warp. Use rope silk, chenille, or knitting silk with beads.
Borders for rugs or squares
When one has mastered the mysteries of weaving thoroughly enough to make a good mat, it is very easy to "turn them into" various articles. There is no sleight of hand about it.
Panels of silk canvas for boxes
Silk canvas panels are made by adjusting the loom for the required size of the sides of the box, and weaving a plain mat for the top. A number of suggestions have been given on page 52, under the head of Materials.
Pretty neckties of fine knitting silk can be made on the loom by using a continuous warp of the same material.
A square of silk canvas with cross-stitched pattern of chenille
Sofa pillows, cushions, sachet cases and veil cases
The accompanying illustration, and another on page 98, and also the vignette on the title page, show squares of silk canvas, and will give one many ideas of how they may be used. One has a cross-stitched pattern of chenille, and in another the chenille was alternated with silk in the warp, and both chenille and silk were used in the woof. The squares can be made up in cushion and box covers, sachet cases, sofa pillows, or the larger squares can be used as veil cases. A number of them can be joined for large sofa pillows. In the latter case they can be made of wool, and many of them could be crocheted together for an afghan or slumber robe.
Pattern for rugs or squares
The design in the illustration is a pattern which may be used for either a Wilton or Axminster rug, or for mats, sachet cases, cushion or box covers, or cross-stitch embroidery on burlap, or silk, or wool canvas. The patterns given on pages 120, 125, 130, and 134 will be found adaptable for rugs or squares.
Slumber robes or afghans
Portières
Slumber robes or afghans have been previously mentioned on page 54, under the head of Materials. It will be found very easy, after a little experience with a continuous warp, to make strips of any length. It is better to wind the extra lengths of warp upon spools, as has been suggested, or around the tops of the rods. Large portières can be made of long strips of silk or silkoline cut bias. Fasten the long strips together horizontally in imitation of Bagdad curtains.
Borders for rugs or squares
Hair receivers
Hair receivers are easily made from raffia. Make a square mat and fold it in cornucopia form.