Repair & Restoration

Our most valuable asset is Partner and Master-Repair man Ara Mavyan. With over 20 years experience, Ara draws on his Istanbul training to provide the highest level of work available anywhere. Invisible repairs to all types of handmade rugs are possible. We have an extensive inventory of wools and other materials, imported from all rug weaving areas. Careful dyeing with vegetable and synthetic dyestuffs allow for accurate matching of damaged areas.

A few of the more common repairs we do are:

Fringing

Hand fringing – this technique most accurately reproduces the original by hand-inserting individual threads into the carpet ends.
End stop fringing – This method attaches fringe threads to a double knot end stop.
Machine fringing – Pre-made fringes are sewn onto the carpet ends.

Binding

Hand overcast binding – available in several techniques to match the existing binding.
Machine serging – a less expensive overcasting alternative to the above.
Machine binding – cloth strips are sewn over edges. Most economical.
Machine reinforced binding – for commercial carpets.

Restoration

We do original technique repiling and reweaving in Turkish and Persian knotting. Invisible repairs of holes large and small are possible. We can reproduce the original design in specially dyed wools, cottons and silks.

We have a large selection of carpet fragments from which to choose suitable pieces for large, inexpensive hole repair.

Dyeing

We can inexpensively mask worn areas by “painting” the design back onto the worn area. We use quality fabric dyes that will not wash off or fade.

End Stop

This procedure stabilizes the fringe ends of the carpet to ensure no losses to the pile. Several methods achieve this end including:

• Chain stitch or Soumack technique
• Double knot technique
• Blanket stitch
• Reinforced end stop
• Flat stop technique