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ART FOR THE FLOOR
Durable and portable as rugs are, since ancient times they have provided not only the material comfort of covering earthen floors but also a sense of stability and safe haven for wandering peoples settling in new or strange places. Woven of richly dyed wool, often patterned with symbols, rugs portrayed details of history and culture as well as feeding the sense of beauty that seems to be a universal and enduring human trait—even need. For modern Americans—also often nomadic!— a handwoven rug can provide a focus for a new addition to a house or for reorganizing or enhancing an existing area of living space.
I design my rugs for placement on the floor, where viewers looking from different angles as they sit or stand or move around a room will see subtle shifts in the colors and patterns. Many of my designs include heathery or variegated effects so the rug will not easily show the dirt and litter of foot traffic. The continuous warp results in finished edges, or selvages, on all four sides and enables tight packing of the weft yarn so that it cannot shift or abrade under foot traffic, which ensures the durability of these rugs for use on the floor.
But my rugs can also be enjoyed as wall hangings. They are reversible, with the colors and patterns the same on both sides, but on request I can attach a fabric sleeve to one side to be equipped with a wooden batten for hanging.
On a smooth wood or tile floor, a mat under the rug prevents slippage. On carpeting, a mat protects the rug from wearing against the carpet. If chair or table legs are placed on the rug, rubber coasters will spread their weight and soften any sharp edges. Occasional vacuuming suffices for ordinary cleaning. Spot stains can be removed with mild soap and water, blotted with toweling. More thorough cleaning can be performed by dry cleaning or by gently washing with wool soap and cold water on a flat surface such as a patio. Hung over a railing, a rug will dry overnight in dry weather.