Making rugs and carpets

The far end of the canvas should be oversewn roughly along its cut edge to prevent initial fraying (machining is best for single mesh jute) and left thus until the rug is nearing completion, when the exact number of rows still needed for finishing the design can be checked and the canvas folded over and sewn down in the correct position.

When starting to work a pile rug, the fold-over should be on the front face of the canvas where the pile will hide the little cut ends which always protrude through the oversewing however closely it has been worked.

On the other hand when starting a smooth-faced rug the fold should be a fold-under, i.e. it should come underneath since this minimises the liability of a slight ridge to show where the canvas changes from double to single thickness, especially where a fine canvas is worked with correspondingly thin wool.