US2357750A - Handmade rug - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. 5, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HANDMADE RUG Myrtle Dye McConnell, Chicago, Ill. Application January 26, 1942, Serial No. 428,301

4 Claims. (ores-110) One object is to provide a rectangular rug without turning the rug over during the process of making the rug. In other words in the' prior practice it has been necessary after crocheting one row in regular fashion to turn the rug over and crochet a new row in the same fashion (with the rug turned over) to counteract the tendency of the stitches to veer to the right. In my process this turning over of the rug is not necessary in order to keep the stitches from'veer- Another object is to provide in such a rug stitches which are alike when viewed from the right side of the rug. This results in clearness of the designs incorporatedin the rug. Another object is to save material. According to the prior practices, the threads which were used in the design, be they one, two or more, must all be carried to the end of the row, as extra material, so as to be available for the design when again reached, upon the return. In other words the extra colors are carried along within the ground or basic stitches but where the crocheting is loose, as it always is, with such crocheted work, the colors show through the openings resulting in obsecuring thedesign. By my method a right and wrong side is provided for the rug and the extra threads that form the design are cut off in convenient lengths so'as to be used again when the design is reached, thus obviating the necessity of carrying the design threads in balls as in the prior practice and preventing tangling of the threads.

Another object is to provide firmness and smoothness of the body of the rug. This is done bypractically eliminating the holes and ridges. In the prior art the ridges and holes resulting from the crocheting are relatively large and increase in size with the weight and size of the rug, compelling such rugs to be dried in position on the floor. With my invention the rugs may be hung up to dry.

Another object is to provide a crocheted rug having the afghan stitch over a filler with a block design crocheted in. The stitch with the filler must be alternately over the filler and under the filler both stitch-wise and row-wise. By this is meant that the first stitch must be passed over the filler and when that stitch comes to the next row the stitch must be under the filler.

I accomplish these objects by the process and combination of threads, as hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawing, in which- Fig. 1 illustrates the method of making the single crochet species in accordance with my invention, at the point where it difiers ordinary single crochet;

Fig. 21s a similar view illustrating the from the Stitch at an advanced point;

Fig. 3 illustrates the method of adapting the afghan stitch to a fil1er,showing the threadbeing drawn over the filler;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the next stitch with the thread being drawn under the filler.

Referring more in detail the invention consists of an adaptation, of the ordinary single crochet which is usually 'made by drawing the thread through the two top threads of the stitch made in a previous row, thus putting each stitch slightly to the right of the stitch below, which must be counteracted by turning the work over and making the next row wrong side out, in order to keep the edges straight, and forma perfect rectangle. This method produces rows of holes and ridges which become larger with the size and weight of the rug, necessitating the drying of the rug flat when washed, Each stitch differs from the one beneath it rendering any design more or less obscure.

There is no right or wrong side to the work, therefore the oneor more threads of a different color used in the designmust b carried in continuous balls inside the basic or ground stitches from side to side necessitating the use of more thread. The threads so used are subject to tang-ling and twisting so that much time must be lost in untangling the balls. The stitches of the basic or ground thread do not entirely conceal the design threads resulting in further obscuring any design. These difliculties lead many designers to omit crocheting any designs in the work, and to super-impose them on the finished article by means of cross-stitch. a

In my invention, the single crochet is made by drawing the thread through the middle of the stitch, thus putting one stitch directly above the one in the previous row, in which it fits, practically eliminating the rows of holes and the ridges. When the end of a row is reached the last stitch is pulled out sufiiciently to put the ball of thread, used as the basic or ground thread, through the loop, the stitch is then pulled up tightly, the released thread is drawn back taut,

to the beginning of the next row, drawn through the first stitch of the previous row, thus avoiding the ends and knots which would be caused by breaking the thread. The thread thus drawn back acts as a filler adding to the firmness and weight of the body of the rug. The background stitches are taken over this thread until some portion of the design being followed, occurs, when the background thread is carried forward inside the design stitches, which are introduced when they first appear in the design being used, by drawing one end of a two yard or more length through the last two stitches on the needle, of the previous ground-work stitch. The end of the design thread just drawn in, which should be an inch or two long is crocheted over along with the two ground-work thread to fasten it. When the number of design stitches required -is completed the background thread is drawn through the last two stitches on the needle of the design thread, which is then dropped, to be used again in the next row as required. This results in an economy of material. Should any .considerable distance occur between the parts of the design using the same color, another thread is introduced and if the thread so used is not sufiicient to complete the design, another thread maybe tied on. In the case of single crochet rugs, made around an afghan stitch center the veering to the right of the stitches is corrected without distortion, making the introduction of design possible, and making for better form in the ultimate shape of the rug.

The ordinary afghan stitch has never to my knowledge been used for rugs because of its lack of firmness and weight and never to my knowledge have designs been crocheted in, but are usually super-imposed by means of cross-stitch. A filler has been used before in single crochet but never to my knowledge has it been used in the afghan stitch which requires entirely difier ent treatment. The process of combining a filler with the alfghan stitch and crocheting in the designs is accomplished Joy-making the first row according to the ordinary method, (using a row of chain stitch, drawing a thread through each stitch keeping all the stitches on the needle, when row of chain stitch is used up, a thread is drawn through one of the stitches on the needle, and then through two at a time until the right side is reached). At this point the filler is laid along the top of the row just made from left to right, behind the needle and in front of the thread in position at the right side of the rug. The thread is drawn over the filler and under the first perpendicular stitch of previous row. The next stitch is made by drawing the thread under the filler, and through-the next perpendicular stitch. Repeat .over and under the filler alternately until all the stitches in the row are on the needle carrying the filler taut on top of the previous row, drawing the thread through one stitch, and then through two at a time back to the right side of rug. The filler is then turned back toward the left side of rug. With the thread on the right side of the filler and needle in position at the right side of the rug, it is drawn under the filler and through the first perpendicular stitch of previous row. The next stitch is drawn over the filler, and repeated under and over the filler which is carried forward taut to the end of the row, when the thread is drawn through the two outside threads of the last stitch of previous row, processing as before directed, back to the right side of the rug. The filler is turned again toward the right side behind the needle and in front of the thread and drawn taut to correspond with the stretched out width of the rug.

The first stitch is again taken over the filler, the next under the filler, this is important as it alternates the stitches over and under the filler both stitch-wise and row-Wise and prevents a ridgy appearance, providing a smooth surface. Explicit directions for introduction of designs are furnished with individual patterns. This type of rug is usually made in sections or strips (since a limited number of stitches can be put-on one needle vat a time) and the corresponding loops of filler at the end of each row sewed together, the seam being covered {on the right side by a chain stitch of a contrasting color made through the rug.

What I claim to be new is:

1. A rug or like fabric structure composed of afghan stitches and a filler.

2. A rug or like fabric structure composed of rows of afghan stitches and a filler, stitches of a row extending both stitch-wise androw-wise alternately over and under the filler.

3. A crocheted rug or like fabric structure comprising a body having a right side and a wrong side, said body consisting of interconnected rows of stitches each arranged right side out, and filler strands extending through stitches of the rows in parallel relation to each other continuously between opposed marginal edges of the body.

4. A crocheted rug or like fabric structure comprising a body having a right side and a Wrong side, said body consisting of interconnected rows of stitches each arranged right side out, each stitch of a row being made through the middle of a stitch disposed immediately in line with the next adjacent row, and filler strands extending through stitches of the rows in parallel relation to each othercontinuously between opposed marginal edges of the body.

MYRTLE DYE MCCONNELL.

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