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New Life for a Little Rug

6/18/2017

12 Comments

 
Picture
This is what the fringe USED to look like.
​Years ago I wove a little Rag Rug to use in front of my kitchen sink.  I finished the rug with twisted fringe and left the fringe about 4" long - probably too long.  Over the years I have had to periodically retie some of the fringe bouts,  but slowly but surely more and more of the bouts had become untied, frayed and I could no longer re-twist them and knot them back to their original length. In addition, some of the warp threads in the body of the rug had broken and the rug was really looking shabby and worn.
Remember: You can click on any picture to zoom in!

​Step 1:
I first decided to re-twist the fringe bouts that had come undone and to shorten all of the bouts to the shortest common denominator.  It seemed that I could get away with shortening them all to about 1 1/2". There are a couple of bouts where the ends were so frayed that I do not have high hopes for them holding up for much longer, but at least they are shorter now..
Picture
The newly shortened fringe
Picture
This shows a broken warp thread and a row of rag weft floats above it. These need to be repaired.
Picture
These are the only tools I need: a tapestry needle and the matching rug warp

​Step 2: 
​I gathered the tools I would need for repairing the broken warp threads The warp used in this rug was 8/4 cotton rug warp used double, and luckily I still had some on hand (this will not surprise anyone who knows me and has seen my yarn stash).  

So now all I need was a tapestry needle threaded with a doubled strand of the warp thread and a little patience. The weaving should be easy because the rug was woven in plain weave.

​Step 3 - Fixing the Broken Threads
  • I started about 2-3" below the broken warp thread (photo 1)
  • I wove along the same warp thread with the repair thread for the 2" until I got to the break (photo 2)
  • At that point I have to weave over and under the rags in the same way the missing warp thread used to.  It helped to hold the needle in my right hand and put my left hand underneath the rug for support (photo 3)
  • When I reached the end of the damaged area, I continued to weave along the same warp thread for another 2-3 inches.  When I finished with the weaving I checked the weaving on both sides of the rug.  
  • When I was satisfied, I pulled on the ends of the repair threads where it entered and exited the weaving to "seat it" in the cloth.  
  • Then I trimmed the tails of the repair thread and the broken warp thread from the surface of the rug.​
Picture
Photo 1: Starting 2-3" below the break. Broken warp thread can be seen at the top of the photo.
Picture
Photo 2: Weaving up to and just beyond the break in the warp thread.
Picture
Photo 3: Weaving continues above the break - over and under the weft floats.
Picture
My supervisor
Picture
Weaving is finished. The tails have not been trimmed yet. Lizzie is checking my work.
Picture
The finished rug. Hopefully with a few more years of life in it.

​All done!  
And I think the rug looks better with short fringe anyway.

12 Comments
Nina Strange
1/12/2020 11:17:05 am

Thank you for posting this. I have a 24x40 rag throw rug that i bought years ago and it has several broken warp threads... across about 3" of warp and down about 20 inches. I am not a weaver, but i can use a tapestry needle to weave some new warp over and under. Your rug's warp seams nice and simple; this warp is a kind of 2 and 3 pattern. (I have no idea how to explain it.) But, since it isn't simple or a small area, do you think it would be too difficult to mend the rug this way? I have considered sewing it on the machine with some tear-and-wash-away stabilizer. It wouldn't look or feel at all the same. Nevertheless, it wouldn't be a total loss. Any advice or thoughts?

Reply
Pattie Lamb
1/12/2020 11:42:27 am

It's hard to know for sure since I can't see the rug. But I think attempting to follow the pattern would be ideal even if you don't do it perfectly. And I am guessing that even if you wove some new warp threads in there in a simple pattern, at least it would provide strength, and it would probably look better than the interfacing. Think of a darned sock: it will always be obvious that it was darned, but it was given new life by darning. Not perfect but an improvement. If you have multiple side by side warp threads to replace, have a fork on hand to help pack the warp threads into place so they are vertical. I hope this helps.

Reply
Nina
1/12/2020 01:37:47 pm

Thank you, that does help. I'll give it a whirl.
Best wishes.
And thanks for weaving.

Barb
8/14/2020 08:18:29 pm

Thanks for the fork tip. I am about to embark on repairing a rug with about a 3" width of broken warp threads. I think those warp yarns might have been defective, or they have been damaged by things spilled on it (next to the sink), because the remaining broken ends also seem to break easily. I may have to thread new warp through the whole length of the run. I have a wire comb meant for paintbrushes that will help me pack the denim rag weft back into place.

Susan Glatfelter
2/12/2021 10:54:05 am

Would you be able to repair fringes on my rag rug???

Reply
Pattie Lamb
2/12/2021 11:04:59 am

I am sorry, but that is not something I have the time or energy to do right now. Give it a try yourself. What do you have to lose?

Reply
Pat
5/27/2021 09:45:20 am

Thanks so much for the tips. I have searched for this information several times and never came across even one person showing this repair! I hope to save a rug that perfectly fits in front of my back door, wish me luck!

Reply
Pattie Lamb
5/27/2021 01:42:04 pm

I hope this will be helpful and you can repair your rug to perfection. Check out the other rug repair blog I posted as well. Click on Rugs in the sidebar. It's the one called "Out Out Damned Cat". Good luck!

Reply
Lisa Ricker
9/1/2021 08:34:44 pm

I’m so grateful you’ve posted this information. I have a vintage rag runner rug made by my great grandmother sometime before 1950, and it’s still in good condition except for one section that needs repair. I was at a loss at how to attempt to fix it - not just the method, but what to use (8/4 cotton rug warp). I don’t expect to restore it to perfect condition, but I think my great grandmother would want it to be in use. Thank you!

Reply
Pattie Lamb
9/2/2021 08:30:47 am

I am so glad you liked the post. Good luck with the repair. I am sure your great grandmother would LOVE to see it being used!

Reply
Leisa
3/9/2024 10:29:37 pm

Adding a thank you as well. I have a chindi rug that I love; I'll attempt to piece it back together.

Reply
Ellison @Rug Cleaning Spokane link
3/11/2024 07:41:08 am

I came across your beautiful blog and must say that I'm happy with the creative transformation of the small rug. Your story and DIY adventure are very motivating! I look forward to more blogs in the
future.

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    Pattie Lamb

    I have been happily weaving since my son was born in 1988.

    All pictures on my blog are "zoomable" - just click on them to enlarge.

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