The Ultimate Rug and Carpet Thread

[Jr Mouse]

You must have a lovely home. A phenomenal collection of rugs and blankets.

 

[Gus]

You must have a lovely home. A phenomenal collection of rugs and blankets.

Thank you. I had a collection of about 16 vintage Navajo rugs that I have sold or have on consignment while selecting 4 vintage rugs, that are new to us, that compliment our neutral decor. It was enjoyable to get what we wanted and what looked right in our new home decor setting. I think we may have a couple more in our future but we are in no rush now that the primary areas have hanging textiles.

 

[Gus]

We found this contemporary Persian wool Maryam rug yesterday that is keeping with our neutral decor. I like the simple stripe weave.

 

[Valfunde]

And another up on the wall today: Navajo Natural Double Saddle Blanket c.1900-1920. Mounted using a french cleat.

How are you hanging these up using the french cleat if you don't mind me asking. Are you sewing a muslin lining to the back of it or doing something totally different? Got some blankets myself from village folks of Samtay and liking how clean your hanging looks.

 

[Gus]

How are you hanging these up using the french cleat if you don't mind me asking. Are you sewing a muslin lining to the back of it or doing something totally different? Got some blankets myself from village folks of Samtay and liking how clean your hanging looks.

Here is my post from the furniture/design thread about hanging our rugs with a french cleat:

I had a few messages about how I hung this rug. Although many people will sew a strip of velcro across the top, the preferred method for historic and vintage rugs is the use of a wooden "French Cleat". A strip of wood is mounted on the wall that has an angled top. A second strip of wood with an opposite downward angle is held firmly in place by gravity. This second strip has rows of closely placed display needles . The needles sharp, fine shape holds the rug without damaging the threads. This method makes it easy to remove the rug to turn it, reverse it and to shake it. The rug hangs approx 1/2- 3/4 from the wall allowing for air circulation which also helps to avoid potential moth damage. We especially like the added elegant look of its "drape" rather than nailed or tacked to the wall. The gallery where we bought this completed the installation for us.

Gus said:
1920's era Navajo rug. All natural wool colors. Hand carded and woven.

View attachment 1581668

 

[Gus]

There are a number of advantages to hanging rugs with a french cleat:
1) hanging away from the wall, 1/2" or so, minimizes moths laying eggs and moth damage
2) Since their are pins holding the rug, it is easy to take it down and turn it once a year or so. This allows for even fading over time rather than having a pronounced A/B side to a Navajo rug which diminishes its value. (Of course you hang collectable rugs away from direct UV exposure but here in the high desert the UV index is quite high even with reflected light)
3) I really like the simple elegance of the way they hang and drape verses, nailing/pinning to a wall or using velcro which is more of a static/flush fit.

 

[Gus]

Looking for vintage Navajo rugs? If so, Santa Fe Art Auctions is having their annual Native American show Feb 5th. As we get closer to the date everything will be up on their website. In the past there has been an excellent assortment of quality, vintage Native American arts, jewelry, pottery, carvings and an especially large number of weavings/rugs. Prices will be all over the place but deals can be had.

I'm will be stopping in next week to preview. If anyone is interested I can take some photos.

 

[edinatlanta]

If you haven't done so in a while... get your rugs cleaned and add a moth spray. Ask me how i know.

 

[emptym]

I bought another rug on Etsy. The listing said it was wool, hand-knotted. But when it arrived and I cut open one end, the bottom seemed to be almost entirely made of cotton. The top is made of wool, but it seems weird that the bottom would be almost completely cotton and the top wool.

Makes me wonder if it was tufted instead of knotted. Anyone have any idea based on this close up?

Wondering if I should return it, ask for a partial refund, or just accept it as is. We like the design, but the fact that it's majority cotton (maybe 75%) makes me wonder about it's performance vs an all or mostly wool rug.

I contacted the seller and they just said it has a cotton foundation and they may have accidentally copied the text in that listing from another one. The listing says no returns, but I'm guessing Etsy will allow it since it isn't quite as described. I'd appreciate any advice/thoughts.

 

[double00]

I bought another rug on Etsy. The listing said it was wool, hand-knotted. But when it arrived and I cut open one end, the bottom seemed to be almost entirely made of cotton. The top is made of wool, but it seems weird that the bottom would be almost completely cotton and the top wool.

Anyone have any idea based on this close up?
View attachment 1808547


Wondering if I should return it, ask for a partial refund, or just accept it as is. We like the design, but the fact that it's majority cotton (maybe 75%) makes me wonder about it's performance vs an all or mostly wool rug.

I contacted the seller and they just said it has a cotton foundation and they may have accidentally copied the text in that listing from another one. The listing says no returns, but I'm guessing Etsy will allow it since it isn't quite as described. I'd appreciate any advice/thoughts.

most all modern or recent vintage pile rugs have a cotton foundation

edit : this is the back yes ? i see mostly wool

 

[emptym]

Thanks! Yeah, that's the back. The big white "threads" are definitely cotton.

 

[double00]

to me what you seem to be referring to looks like the same material that makes up the selvedge wrap .
it looks like wool from here but you are saying that's cotton ? hm .

 

[double00]

ok last poast haha .

i think you're right and i can see the foundation a bit more clearly now and also i think i can see the wool too . here's another listing you can sort of compare , i think they are a similar build . i rather think the foundation is beefier to support fewer knots per inch .

4x8 Rugneutral Rughandknotted Rugturkish Rugoushak - Etsy

This Rugs item by TURKISHRUGS34 has 8 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Turkey. Listed on Jul 30, 2022

www.etsy.com

it seems like these particular turkish pile rugs use a thicker cotton weft in the foundation and so the back reads more white cotton than some other types . my living room rug is hand knotted ( probably more of a persian or indian style but i don't know where it's from ) and i see way less cotton foundation than these but you can see it pretty clearly , the fringe at the end is the foundation warp , the light blue yarns running across the back are the foundation weft . ( this rug is damaged the original finished ends are long gone )



cotton is a very common foundation , they have to wrap the knots around something .



if the pile is wrapped around the foundation it's not tufted its knotted .

 

[emptym]

I finally was able to get someone on the phone from the number on the shipping label.

It turns out the Etsy seller is just a middleman for a much larger, Canadian rug company, ecarpetgallery.com. The representative there said the rug is listed with them as 50% wool, 50% "bamboo silk" or viscose.

Apparently a bunch of Etsy sellers are just "portals," the rep said, for ecarpetgallery.

 

[double00]

sounds like you are going to return the rug ?