Friday, April 15, 2022
What Happens If I let My Rug Sit in Flood Water For Too Long?
Saturday, February 26, 2022
How to Clean a Wool Kilim Rug
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
How Often Should I Have My antique Persian Rug Professionally Cleaned?
Wednesday, February 2, 2022
Repairing a Persian Rug Damaged by Moths
Friday, December 10, 2021
When Water is the Enemy - Flooded Handknotted Rugs
Friday, December 3, 2021
Hand knotted Tibetan Rug Damaged by Moths - Before
Friday, July 30, 2021
Antique Persian Rug Cleaning
This lovely antique Persian Sarouk rug was stored for quite some time. Even though it was clean when put into storage, it became infested with moths. It is never safe to store wool rugs for extended periods of time without setting up a regular inspection schedule during which the rug can be examined carefully for early signs of moth damage. Luckily, the moths haven't eaten too much of the rug but the damage has already started. This rug needs a thorough professional cleaning and repair to various sections throughout the rug that have been damaged. Luckily not too much of the warp and weft has been affected. We are looking forward to repairing this rug and making sure it can be enjoyed for decades to come. --www.traditionalrugrepair.com
Sunday, July 18, 2021
Beni Ourain Rug Cleaning
Monday, June 14, 2021
Repairing a Hole in an Oriental Rug.
Monday, June 7, 2021
Repairing a Hole in an Oriental Rug
Sunday, May 30, 2021
Moth Infested Rug Damage
Anyone who has loved and lived with handmade rugs will know that even after an extended period of time, new "discoveries" can be made. Sometimes a rug lover will suddenly see a motif that was previously "hidden" to her, or a particular color blend will stand out, or even a whole section of a border will suddenly be at the forefront to the person who stands and admires it. These kinds of "discoveries" are a wonderful gift from the weaver who spent a great amount of time and care weaving each design, knotting each motif, and putting together the "story" of a detailed rug.
Other discoveries, however, are not as welcome. There are times after a particularly vigorous vacuuming session, a person may notice that fringes have started to be pulled away from a rug. Or, perhaps more seriously, sometimes small holes or carved out areas begin to appear in a rug. This particular damage is worrying because it can accelerate quickly. These are signs of a moth infestation. Moths can attack at any time, but especially when a rug is in storage, or in an area with poor air ventilation. For this reason, it is important to remember to periodically inspect your rugs for any possible moth or other kind of damage. The old adage is as true as ever - a stitch in time .... --www.traditionalrugrepair.com
Monday, April 19, 2021
Fixing a Bad Rug Repair
Thursday, April 8, 2021
What Does a Bad Rug Repair or Rug Restoration Look Like?
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Restoring an Antique Turkish Rug - Final Result
Friday, March 19, 2021
Restoring an Antique Turkish Rug
Thursday, March 18, 2021
From the Desktop of an Antique Rug Restorer
This is one of my favorite views in the entire world. And I am beyond grateful that it is of my own desktop. I know that I am beyond blessed to love my work as much as I do. I don't know what cosmic lottery I won to get to do what I love - to do for work what I would do anyway as a hobby. But I remind myself every day that this is truly a gift. Especially this year during what was such a challenging year for so many, I am grateful that I had this craft to turn to - to drown out all the worries.
It is hard to put into words what I love so much about restoring rugs. Part of it is purely sensorial. I love the different textures. I love feeling the yarns between my fingers - the coarse wool, the smooth silk, the delicate antique yarns, the robust freshly dyed yarn. I love seeing the vibrant electric colors of Moroccan rugs against the muted rich jewel tones of antique Persian rugs. I even love the quiet hush of my hand rubbing against the knotted pile of a beautiful hand knotted rug. I feel a deep sense of gratification as my work is slowly visually manifested into a pattern replacing a hole or a tear that had long ago compromised a beautiful piece. And I feel a strange, but strong, connection to the weaver whom I will never meet, but whose work I hold in my hands for weeks, sometimes months. I think about her life (because it is almost always a her) and wonder what her life was like, what she wanted to express in her art, what each placement of a motif meant to her. I wonder if she meant to sell this rug - if she helped pay for something for her home with what she got for it, or if somehow this rug was meant for herself or her family and over the years, a grandchild sold it for something for his or her home. It is almost always impossible to ever know, but I imagine all these scenarios through each knot and each loop. And for hours, weeks, months, and years, this is what I do. And it is among my life's greatest gifts. ---www.traditionalrugrepair.com
Monday, March 15, 2021
The Final Stage of a Rug Restoration Project - Shearing Reknotted Sections
When a rug is knotted, or reknotted in the case of a rug restoration project, a weaver will use long yarns to knot wool motifs against a grid-like warp and weft. The yarns have to be long-ish for a weaver to be able to manipulate them. Because of their length, the knotted motifs close to the base of the rug are not always very clear to a weaver. Only after the reknotting is done will a weaver cut the excess yarn down so that the pile is of a uniform (short) length. The shearing can be done either with scissors or with a mechanical shearing tool shown above. No matter how it is done, the shearing allows for the pattern to reveal itself more clearly. This is a very enjoyable part of a restoration project as the shearing makes it look like the pattern somehow magically appears (and it also signifies the project is almost done!). ---www.traditionalrugrepair.com
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Moth Infested Rug Care
Monday, February 22, 2021
Moroccan Rug Cleaning
Cleaning Moroccan rugs is a critical part of their ongoing care, which can minimize the risk of damage that comes from daily wear and tear. Professional cleaning can remove particles that become embedded deep at the base of the pile, which in the case of Moroccan rugs is very long and plush. Professional cleaning, coupled with regular vacuuming, removes the particles between the pile that when brushed against the fibers of the pile eventually wear them down. The long term result of the particles brushing against fibers is general weakening of the fibers which eventually become holes. Therefore, vacuuming and professional cleaning is not only recommended for hygienic purposes, but also to extend the lifespan of the rug, which could be generations long if done properly. --www.traditionalrugrepair.com
Thursday, February 18, 2021
How Often Should I Have My Handmade Rug Professionally Cleaned?
Thursday, February 4, 2021
Removing a Stain from a Moroccan Rug
As any owner of a beautiful hand knotted rug knows, spills and stains are an inevitable part of having these beautiful pieces be the foundation of our home spaces. If you ever have an unfortunate spill, we recommend blotting the excess liquid immediately. Please take care to blot. Do not rub as that may cause color run. Then take a damp (not wet) white towel and natural soap and carefully try to remove any stain. Be careful not to rub too hard or across colors. Also be sure that the cloth is damp, not wet. If you can not remove a stain, a professional cleaning may remove the stain. If the stain has been left to sit, or if it is a stain of red wine or other difficult stain, a separate more in depth cleaning process may be necessary. In the worst instances, if the stain is very prominent and a cleaning can not eliminate it, you can reweave that area. But in most instances, a cleaning can greatly reduce the appearance of nearly all stains. Even if small evidence remains, it shouldn't detract from the beauty of a handmade piece. --www.traditionalrugrepair.com
Monday, February 1, 2021
How to Save a Rug's Fringe - Binding
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Moroccan Rug Cleaning - Cleaning a Work of Art
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Goat Hair Kilim Repair Project - Before and After
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Turkish Kilim Restoration
Monday, December 28, 2020
Navajo Rug Cleaning
Monday, December 14, 2020
Moroccan Rug - Binding Comes Undone
A rug can withstand decades of daily life with minimal maintenance. Occasionally, however, a rug will need a little more than a good cleaning to keep it as beautiful and structurally sound as it needs to be. This is usually in the form of reinforcement of the edges, especially the fringed edges. Over the years, the original binding that most weavers place along the fringed edges will start to come undone. This is sometimes hastened by aggressive vacuuming, or children or pets tugging at the edges. If this is repaired before any of the pile becomes compromised, this is a straightforward repair. And it will take considerably less time, and money, to repair a binding along a fringed edge than it would to reknot a missing or damaged area of the pile. This is the reason we always recommend that binding is always done as soon as it becomes damaged - namely to avoid more significant damage to the rug itself. As the old adage goes, a stitch in time saves nine (and sometimes more!). --www.traditionalrugrepair.com
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
What To Do When Rugs Have a Very Bad Odor or Are Very Stained or Very Dirty
A good thorough professional cleaning about every two years for the vast majority of hand knotted rugs will help ensure that a beautiful rug can last for decades, maybe even longer. A cleaning can remove dirt particles that can become embedded deep in the pile of a rug, particles which even the strongest vacuum can not reach. There are times, however, when a rug needs a deeper cleaning beyond the standard professional cleaning. Deeper cleanings are warranted in various instances, such as when a rug is kept in a very high traffic area, such as an office or main entry hall, has many stains, or is kept in storage for many years in humid conditions. In these instances, we do a deeper cleaning which begins with soaking a rug for a day or so in a pool of water and soap that helps dislodge particles and odors. The soaking is followed by a thorough brushing, rinse, and vacuuming. The rug is then thoroughly dried. In the great majority of instances, this deep cleaning can clean even the dirtiest rugs, although there are stains that can be impossible to remove. --
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Kilim Repair
After all these years, I still get excited when I start a new kilim restoration project. I enjoy every stage of the process, including the yarn selection that is so critical to how the restoration looks when it is completed. While it is never possible to find a perfect match, we generally have success in making sure that the shade we choose will allow the restoration to blend into the original piece as much as possible. Whenever I start something new, I always marvel that it takes so few tools to create, or in this case, restore, something that will likely outlive our generation by so many years. It's a way of connecting to the past, and to the future. And in that fact, I find great peace and beauty. --www.traditionalrugrepair.com
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Moroccan Rugs - A Symphony of Color
When some people think of Moroccan rugs, they think of the beautifully graphic Beni Ourain rugs that have resided in gorgeous interiors for decades. They think of plush rugs with pale backgrounds and bold sparse graphic designs. But those monochromatic rugs are just but one kind of rugs in what is a wonderfully diverse and rich catalogue of Moroccan rugs. There are some Moroccan rugs that blend a symphony of color into rich and exquisitely vibrant designs. The rug above is an example of one such rug. The designs can be equally graphic, but the color palette is anything but simple. Colors that one would think of as clashing blend beautifully to create these stunning works of art. And like all other beautiful hand knotted rugs - they are usable art that adorn our homes and elevate our every day.
Saturday, September 19, 2020
Antique Turkish Kilim Cleaning
It is no secret to readers of this blog that kilims hold a special place in my heart. It is not that I don't love rugs, but maybe it's because kilims have historically been underappreciated that causes me to love them so. Their motifs can be as graphic and detailed as the finest hand knotted rugs, and their thin nature makes them perfect for hanging on a wall like the art that they truly are. Caring for kilims is similar to caring for hand knotted rugs. Regular vacuuming (without the beater bar), rotating and inspecting are all that is needed to keep them looking as beautiful as they can be. Every two years or so, we recommend professional kilim cleaning. The cleaning process, as shown above, involves soaking the piece in water, shampooing it thoroughly from the front and back, and rinsing it all the while controlling for any color run. Equally as important, the kilim must be thoroughly dried so as to prevent any wrinkling or shape loss. With these minimal steps, kilims can be preserved for decades, and even longer. --
Monday, September 14, 2020
How Can I Tell if My Rug Has Moths?

Thursday, September 10, 2020
Antique Kazakh Rug Restoration
Kazakh rugs are among my favorites. Their bold geometric motifs make such a strong statement in any space, and the muted colors found in antique Kazakhs are rich, warm, and beautiful. For this reason, I love working on restoring antique Kazakh rugs. This rug above had some worn sections after a century or so of love and wear. We first professionally cleaned the rug, and then removed all compromised fibers. Next, we rebuilt the warp and began reknotting the missing pile and weft. Restoration projects such as these can take months, but they are well worth it. They can bring back a beloved piece for another century or so. And it's an honor to think about the original weaver of the rug and to imagine all that the rug has witnessed in its century of adorning a family's home.
Business Address: 353 W 48th Street New York, NY 10036
Phone: 212 300 3348
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Persian Rug Restoration - Before and After
Sunday, August 16, 2020
Persian Rug Restoration - Before Photo
Monday, August 10, 2020
How to not store a wool rug.