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The area may then be rewoven in the same manner as any round- wire carpet by "stealing" yarn from the edge of the carpet where it won't show. Remove the small bits of backing material that remain on the yarn by soaking it in acetone; after it dries, use that for burling thread. The acetone weakens the burling thread a little, so let it dry before using it.

To flatten the new pile slightly and to take off some of the newness of the yarn, steam-press it lightly. To do this, cover the mended spot with a damp cloth, set a medium-hot iron down gently, lift it and set it down again. (Caution: Don't bear down heavily and don't push back and forth.) Using an iron that is too hot, or pressing until the yarn is completely dry, makes the yarn shiny, hard and matted. When you're through steam-pressing, raise the pile by brushing gently against the lay of the pile.

Tears and Seams. A flat basket-weave stitch on a pole is used to make the strongest possible sewn seam and to repair tears. Stay-tack the two pieces of carpet to be joined, face down, onto a pole (minimum 4 in. diameter). Make a tight join, being certain that tufts of yarn do not protrude from the join. Using a straight needle, drop down about six shots (depending on the grade of carpet), proceed under the sixth shot over the fifth, under the fourth, over the third, under the second, over the first and the join; under the first shot on the opposite piece of carpet, over the second, under the third, over the fourth, under the fifth, over the sixth and then pull the needle and thread through with pliers. Run the thread over one row and start the return stitch under the sixth shot, over the fifth, etc., repeating the process in reverse. A completed back-and-forth stitch should have a basket-weave effect, as in Fig. 12.3.

Although the stitch described above is the most complicated of the many stitches possible, it provides the most protection against future damage. Many times it is advisable to strengthen the seam or tear additionally with a coating of latex or similar adhesive, over which a seaming tape is sewn on the reverse side (Fig 12.4).