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Carpet Laying And Estimating Website
Fringing. To apply the kind of fringe that serves as binding, first turn in an inch of the fringe at one end and then slip the rug between the two finished edges of the fringe. Make sure that the cut edge is pushed between the two bands at least | in. Pin the top edge of the fringe band in place all the way across the cut end of the rug. To finish the end, turn in an inch of the fringe bands on the second end as you did on the first. Pin the underneath band in place.
When sewing on the fringe, take several stitches at one end, one on top of the other, to fasten the thread. Sew the fringe on with a stab stitch—that is, stick the needle in from the right side, catching the edge of the top band of the fringe. Push it straight through the rug and through the under fringe band—three thicknesses in all.
Stick the needle back through the rug by putting it just outside the loop in the edge of the underneath fringe band. Bring it out on the right side, about 1/4 in. from the first stitch. Finish the ends by slip-stitching the folded edges of the fringe together.
To apply a single-band fringe, fold under an inch at one end, then pin the band to the right side of the rug so that it overlaps the rug about 1/2 in. Be sure to get the fringe on straight. Use as a guide either a crosswise row of pile or a crosswise yarn on the bottom side. Sew the fringe to the rug with a stab stitch. Then stick the needle back through to the right side.
Selvaging. Trim badly worn selvages, overcast the raw edge, then finish with carpet binding that matches or tones in with the body of the carpet.
Lay the binding on the carpet, right sides together, so that the edge of the binding is about J in. from the edge of the carpet. Allow about 11/2 in. turnback at each end. With needle and carpet thread, sew the binding to the rug with short stitches. Put in an occasional backstitch. Make this line of stitching about 1/8 in. from the edge of the binding.
Turn under the H in. of binding at each end, folding it on a diagonal. Then fold the binding over the edge of the carpet to the wrong side and sew it to the back of the carpet, catching only about 1/8 in. of the binding.
Burling. Pulled-out tufts, burns, mothholes, and sprouting (loosened ends of yarn) cause noticeable bare spots. The burling or renapping process is used to repair these damages.
Matching yarn may be obtained from your supply house, or picked up from matching scraps or "hidden" carpet areas as described on pages 166-167. Remove the damaged tufts with a scissors or tweezers, as in Fig. 12.1.
