Cleaning a classic wool

Hack Attack

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Messages
5,620
Location
further south than you
Name
Dan
I see about 3-4 of these a year, this is in old farmhouse. Hand sewn joins, and all about a meter apart
20180607_145808.jpg

20180607_145918.jpg
 

J Scott W

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2006
Messages
4,061
Location
Shelbyville TN
Name
Jeffrey Scott Warrington
We still see some rugs sewn like that. Wonder if they are just bound pieces of what was once wall to wall carpet.
In that era, there was little or no broadloom carpet. Looms to weave the carpet were narrow. Wall-to-wall carpet was the result of sewing several strip or 27" wide carpet together rather than the reverse of making strips from a wider carpet.
 

The Great Oz

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
5,265
Location
seattle
Name
bryan
If there's a bump at each seam, the narrow-loom (as apposed to broadloom) goods were sewn together using a machine called a hurdygurdy. It bent the edges down and sewed them together, creating a hump that wore out before the rest of the carpet. That there is no wear showing means this carpet gets little use.

PS: The very best old Wilton rugs were made this way, and are very collectible now.
 

Harry Myers

Member
Joined
Oct 13, 2007
Messages
1,268
Location
Charlotte, NC
Name
Harry Myers
I handsaw 3/4 yd carpet when a customer wants it. If the hand sewed seams looks like real shit then the hurdy hurdy was used. I would be concerned if it was seamed together using tape. Hand sewed should not be a problem.
 

roro

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
1,198
Location
Wellington
Name
Ross Craig
In that era, there was little or no broadloom carpet.
From http://www.carpet-rug.org/history-of-carpet.html
"In 1839, Erastus Bigelow permanently reshaped the industry with the invention of the power loom for weaving carpets. Bigelow's loom, which doubled carpet production the first year after its creation and tripled it by 1850, is now part of the Smithsonian Institution's collections. He continued to devote his life to innovation -- 35 separate patents were issued to him between 1839 and 1876. Bigelow introduced the first broadloom carpet in 1877."
 
  • Like
Reactions: The Great Oz

J Scott W

Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2006
Messages
4,061
Location
Shelbyville TN
Name
Jeffrey Scott Warrington
From http://www.carpet-rug.org/history-of-carpet.html
"In 1839, Erastus Bigelow permanently reshaped the industry with the invention of the power loom for weaving carpets. Bigelow's loom, which doubled carpet production the first year after its creation and tripled it by 1850, is now part of the Smithsonian Institution's collections. He continued to devote his life to innovation -- 35 separate patents were issued to him between 1839 and 1876. Bigelow introduced the first broadloom carpet in 1877."

At that time, a standard loom was no more than 1 arm span wide. This allowed one weaver to pass the shuttle through from one side of the loom to the other. Standard looms could be as wide as 5'. Anything wider than about 5' was considered broadloom. This was fabric and not carpet. It required one person on each side of the loom to pass the shuttle back and forth.

The flying shuttle introduced in 1733 allowed to production of broadloom fabric with only one person operating the loom. This increased the production of broadloom fabric.

Carpet looms continued to be 27" to 36" wide until Bigelow's invention. Carpet could then be up to 6' wide. This was still a minority of the carpet production.

There is no widely accept definition of how wide fabric or carpet must be to qualify as "broadloom." By the 1960's broadloomed carpet usually meant 12' wide.
 
  • Like
Reactions: The Great Oz

roro

Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
1,198
Location
Wellington
Name
Ross Craig
http://www.carpetinfo.co.uk/all_about_carpet/history_of_carpet.htm
Some interesting facts and dates here. Up until about 10 years ago we were still cleaning Brinton a real quality carpet made for the pub trade in narrow lengths hand-sewed at the seams. I was told that they were made in the narrow width as if woven in broadloom the weight was too great for the looms.We still get the occasional Axminster or Wilton which are always a pleasure to clean

roro
 
  • Like
Reactions: J Scott W

The Great Oz

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
5,265
Location
seattle
Name
bryan
We were called to bid on hand-sewing seams for the new ballroom carpet at the local Olympic Hotel. Apparently, none of the installers knew how to sew, or didn't want to admit they knew how to sew woven carpet.

Twenty 109 foot seams, $$$$!

Later, the carpet rep told us the designer liked the look of old Wilton seams, so ordered 27 inch carpet. The mill made their normal 13.2 wide carpet and cut it into 27 inch strips.

You couldn't really see the seams when we were done, so a pretty big waste of money.
 

Cleanworks

Moderator
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
26,928
Location
New Westminster,BC
Name
Ron Marriott
We were called to bid on hand-sewing seams for the new ballroom carpet at the local Olympic Hotel. Apparently, none of the installers knew how to sew, or didn't want to admit they knew how to sew woven carpet.

Twenty 109 foot seams, $$$$!

Later, the carpet rep told us the designer liked the look of old Wilton seams, so ordered 27 inch carpet. The mill made their normal 13.2 wide carpet and cut it into 27 inch strips.

You couldn't really see the seams when we were done, so a pretty big waste of money.
Be nice to see some pics of that. Are you using just a round loop style stitch?
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom