n 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 y