Snug as a Bug in a Braided Rug
(Page 4 of 4)
November/December 1971
by Miriam Fraier Korshak
The only tricky part is in making the finished floor covering lie flat with no bumps or bulges. This is usually accomplished fairly easily, however, if you work on a hard, level surface and keep your growing rug flat as you braid and lace.
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The logical place to start is, obviously, a table . . . but you'll probably soon move to the floor and stay there till you're done. When it gets big enough, do feel free to sit on your rug as you work . . . it'll be surprisingly cushiony and comfortable.
CLEANING A BRAIDED RUG
Your finished rug will be reversible and, being wool, is is beautifully moisture and dirt resistant. It may be vacuumed or swept—as any other rug is—but it should not be shaken or beaten since this may break or stretch the lacing. A severely soiled rug can be cleaned by sponging and brushing the surface with a mild ammonia and water solution, so long as the rug is kept flat at all times.
RUG MAKING EXPANDED
Men should not labor under the misapprehension that women have a corner on the rug braiding craft. What began as a household experiment for some families has turned into a lucrative cottage industry with everybody, including the children, participating.
A well made braided wool rug, particularly of the smaller "throw" variety, is a highly saleable item. What are advertised, and briskly sold by department stores as "braided rugs" are really tubular machine constructions that give the optical illusion of having been braided. Real braided rugs aren't available commercially simply because they can only be produced by hand . . . so the home rug braider has an automatic edge on the market.
Odd hours spent braiding rugs can produce a high return, since all you really invest are scraps of time . . . materials cost virtually nothing and profits are often close to 100%. Long winter evenings spent on the craft, then, can yield a tidy summer harvest of cash.
If you do want to sell your rugs, don't neglect a try at beingyour own merchandiser rather than consigning your work to a craft boutique middleman.
No signs or overhead required. Just find a likely spot near passing traffic, drape a few samples of your work over a fence or clothesline and have a seat . . . but don't get too comfortable. A display of vari-colored braided rugs exudes a potent charm that seems to seduce the most casual passer-by and loosen almost anyone's purse strings.
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