aking
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 abo