What is it about fringe? Some rug owners LOVE it… most rug cleaners HATE it. Why all the drama? Well, it starts with the fact that when the rug is brand new, it tends to have the bright white, immaculate cotton fringe. It just looks so… NEW. When rug owners send their rugs off for a [...]
Smokin' Hot Rug…
Don’t know if you know this, but wool does not carry a flame. It is naturally fire resistant. This does not mean that a super hot fire cannot engulf a wool textile, but an isolated flame will self-extinguish. This is good to know when you are choosing fabrics in your home, because inevitably fires do [...]
What If The Old Ways Are Actually Better?
There is a drive in every aspect of our lives to make things better. Quicker, stronger, cheaper. This Macbook I’m typing on right now, wirelessly at an airport – is a prime example. Ten years ago… even five years ago, I wouldn’t be able to do this post right now. It’s part of what makes [...]
They are ALL crooked!
Here’s a secret for you… ALL handmade rugs are crooked. Some may aim for perfection, but it’s very hard to achieve when hand crafting anything. Have you ever written in a journal, set it down then picked it up to write again? When you go back you can see slight variations in your handwriting. The [...]
Oriental Rug Freckles.
Okay, the technical term is not “rug freckles” but that’s what I call them. (My blog, my vocab!) They are white knots. Sometimes a handful, like this: Sometimes HUNDREDS like this one : These exist with ALL hand woven rugs. Here’s what happens. Remember that rug loom I showed you a few posts back? Notice [...]
Why Rugs Have Stripes.
With hand woven rugs, the knots are tied (actually they are wrapped) around the foundation threads from side to side. Search google images for RUG LOOM – and you will find photos of looms – like this one of a Tibetan rug. The face fibers (in this case wool) are wrapped around the warp threads [...]