REPAIRING is for LOVE ONLY!
Finally after much thought, I could not bear to let the old one rot in a garage on top of my DH's antique car . . .as is what happens in our house to old rugs that are beyond fixing . . ..
The Burlap is brittle . . . so I steamed it a long time . . .just in case it helps it . . . because the problem with old mats is that after you have repaired them they continue to disintegrate if you even LOOK at them!
Thats why I have given up repairing for other people . . . .
So. . . first to repair the hole in the leaf -I sewed on with linen thread (cotton ok also). . . a piece of linen backing , here in photo from the back . . .I reinforced as many loops around the hole as possible.. . .one by one . . .long job ,yes!
Then I found a piece of recycled wool fabric and re hooked the area that was gone. . .eg. the HOLE.
Yes ,only repair for the love of the mat! . . .
and I am still only 1/2 way through this job!!!
Hooked rugs have two major enemies: too vigorous vacuum cleaning, and too much moisture. Use only a gentle hand-held vacuum, or an upholstery attachment, or the floor attachment covered with a piece of cheesecloth to reduce the force of the suction. NEVER, EVER immerse a hooked rug in water to attempt to wash it. If the burlap backing becomes saturated, the wool pile will insulate it from drying and the whole thing will begin to rot.
ReplyDeleterug repairs westport