Rug Repair? Who has tried it?

[Frank Petruziello Member Find all posts View Profile Close Frank Petruziello]

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about my method of rug repair. I am not restoring rugs. I have no interest in the perfect undetectable restoration bound for the investment market. My repairs are to make the rug serviceable and graphically clear for my enjoyment. It is obvious upon close inspection that my repairs are modern works that contrast the original fabric of the piece. Over the years I have purchased many rugs with old repairs. I believe most were done out of utility not to make the rug perfect. This all adds to the life cycle of the piece as they were fundamentally objects for daily use not paintings in a museum. It’s interesting that museums do not generally repair or restore rugs, they conserve. Stabilizing the piece so future generations can enjoy the original work. In a small way I think that’s what I’m doing.

Frank

[Joe Lawrence Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe Lawrence]

Well said Frank. I have a few pieces that had existing repairs. To be honest, they are crude but fit and sometimes the piece is obviously from another carpet. I actually love to see this because I can speculate that the repair was done out of need to further use the piece vs a repair made to sell it. I at times dive into a smaller project to prevent further fraying or damage. On a scale of 1-10, my repair knowledge and abilities are about a negative 4. It’s a fun hobby for sure. Another fun hobby is trying to find 100% wool yarn for the small project.