Many homeowners who have original oriental rugs consider them decorative items that are passed from generation to generation in the family. One frequent problem with oriental rugs is that the fringe on the borders of the rugs tends to get messy. Some think that the best way to handle this unsightly situation is to cut the fringe off, but that could lead to damaging the rug beyond repair.
The phrase “a stitch in time saves nine” could never be more true when it comes to taking care of your rugs. If your rug fringes are damaged, it is important to fix them as soon as possible. Here’s why and how you should consider oriental rug fringe repair to restore and maintain the beauty of your rug.
Why Can’t I Cut the Fringe Off?
Real oriental rugs have much longer extensions of the warp threads, which are the knot foundation of the rug piece. The fringe is very important in order not to sever it; otherwise, the rug may come apart at the seams. It is possible to cut the fringe a little.
There is a way to carefully trim the fringe on these rugs a bit shorter, but it requires very special tools to prevent any damage to the rug itself. It’s best that a professional handle this if trimming the fringe is the path you want to take.
Why Fringe Maintenance is Important
The fringe is more than just a decorative piece. If the fringe is ever cut or damaged, the edges of the rug can come undone, which unravels more trouble. Taking care of the fringe is important to keep the fringe looking good and away from breakage so that we keep the rug intact and also prevent damaging the rug, and so you can maintain good value for money.
DIY Repairs for Oriental Rug Fringe
If the damage is minimal, you can take these steps to fix the fringe yourself:
1: Clean the Rug First
Before you start any repair, vacuum the rug carefully (avoiding the fringe) or use a gentle hand brush to remove dirt and debris. This ensures the fringe will be clean and ready for repair.
2: Assess The Damage
Before rug fringe repair, clean the rug. Brush it gently by hand or vacuum the pile carefully, avoiding the fringe to avoid further damage at this point.
Then inspect and see how much damage is there. The edges may require trimming to prevent further fraying, while broken or absent threads will need to be replaced. Loose knots and stitches should also be tied in for the integrity of the fringe.
DIY Oriental Rug Fringe Repair
If you can’t take your rug fringe repair to a professional, it is tempting to try to trim the fringe yourself. However, you shouldn’t do this if you want to keep your rug.
One of the good ways to hide an unsightly fringe is to hide it behind the rug itself. For this, you will only need simple packing tape. First, make a casing for the fringe. Lay a piece of packing tape face up on the ground, and carefully arrange the fringe on it in a flat and even layer.
Then cover the top with another piece of packing tape, creating a seal between the two pieces of tape. Then flip the newly encased fringe behind the rug and tape it down to the back. When done carefully, this method will create a pleasing rounded edge.
Rug Fringe Restoration by Machine
Here is how you can restore your rug’s elegance with a professional machine-based fringe repair:
- If the area rug at hand is a machine-made rug, the fringe was added on after the manufacture of the rug. Often, the fringes would be machine sewed to the end of the rug or glued on to complete the look of a hand-knotted rug.
- When the fringes of these rugs get damaged, they can be cut off, and a prefabricated fringe, serge, or bind to the edge of the rug.
- Prefabricated fringes are available in many styles and colors. The fringes will be sewn or knotted in a way to make it look as natural as possible.
- You can also remove the bad fringes/tassels and bind or serge the edges of the rug so that the rug doesn’t unravel.
Rug Fringe Restoration by Hand
Bring back the beauty of your rug with hand-crafted fringe restoration for a clean finish.
- You can build a platform/frame to hang the width of the rug and begin with finding straight edges at the end that need oriental rug fringe repair.
- Select from the correct fibers, such as wool, silk, or cotton, of the exact size of the original fringe.
- Using a small needle, you can repair the new fringes into the edge of your rug. This process is very time-consuming and requires steady hands and expertise.
- You can run the new fringes back and forth through the width of the rug, creating the fringes, which can be tied and secured by double knotting.
- Once the fringes are secured, cut the fringes off the frame and detach the rug from the frame. Your rug is ready for everyday use.
Prevent Future Fringe Damage
These are the tips you can use for your oriental rug fringe repair. Understandably, repairing a rug fringe can be one heck of a task, but to preserve its beauty, it is necessary to take care of your rug every time you see loose threads or messy fringes.
Hire a rug repair professional who repairs rugs with the right amount of care your rug deserves.
