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That would be my reaction.

No. Give it to someone else and buy a smaller rug.

ditto!

Bad, bad, Scott. I'll take it if you don't want it.

You would probably have much better luck in trying to get it repaired/re-woven. I can't imagine the immense project expense and looming potential disaster of trying to cut down a gorgeous rug like this. It's also probably much cheaper just to try and get it repaired.

I think you shoud buy a new one and give that one to bobbin.

But if you're completely determined to do this, then you'd need to keep in mind the various borders at the edges, and be careful to imagine it very accurately, so you didn't have any regrets about how it might all of a sudden there's too much grey in the middle now that you've gotten rid of the grey on the edges or something.

You should first photograph the entire thing and Photoshop out the parts you think you'd cut.

If you DO cut, just realize that the back of it is where you'd have to cut it. But then, you'd also have to allow for enough space for you to whip-stitch some kind of hem or something, or have it done. I'm afraid that if you brought it into a rug place to have them use their edge-finishing equipment they will probably have you arrested for aesthetic assault on an innocent antique or something for having cut it, so you might have to go to someplace very furtive to get help for giving it a finished edge.

But I prefer you to see the first paragraph, instead.

Uh, the whole point of having a rug like this is that it gets beaten up and threadbare.

I was in Istanbul in Sept. and spent a good deal of time talking to a guy who fixes rugs for a living. While explaining what he does, he mentioned that they often trim down the edges of a rug in order to use those threads to fix holes in the center of the rug. So it must be doable, but I'm guessing it's something you'd want to get professional help with.

I always like that things like that look like they have character and homes that have them look truly lived in and not just decorated.....

Didn't New York Magazine have an issue a while back with the issue devoted to sources for stuff like this? 'Oriental Rug Repair' is the term to use...

On madison Ave, there are so many oriental carpet stores, maybe you can ask them to give you some professional advice.

If you really wanna give it to somebody, give it to me :-)) I am turkish but I cannot even afford to buy a nice carpet from my country.. I will ask my mom to fix it for me..

You'll destroy any value in a hand-made rug by cutting it down. Get the edge repaired which should cost about $200 or so.

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO.

Step away from the scissors.................

You can't find anyone who can do this, because they all know better.

You're not alone, though. Years ago, my father (a very practical man) got a phenomenal deal on a huge antique Persian carpet. It was about a foot too long for our den, so he wanted to just lop off one end. Fortunately, my mother wouldn't let him. Several years later, my mother bought a new rug for the den. The gentleman who owned the carpeting store & delivered the new rug gasped when he saw the old rug, and offered my mom several thousand dollars for it on the spot. She didn't take it, and the rug is in storage, but she's very happy she kept my dad from mutilating it. So am I!

I've used Edward Barsamian, who is in the 30's, for a number of antique kilims http://rugmagic.com/. Prices were reasonable and he's very reliable. A pile rug will cost more, but the rug looks quite nice so it is worth the investment.

Rug edges are trimmed by dealers all the time - you'll learn to spot it. But don't cut yours down when a repair is so feasible.

No, just cutting it down does not mean you have a like new rug. A traditional Turkish (and various other Middle Eastern) carpet is has finished edges on all 4 sides. Woven fabric without finished edges unravels and is much more fragile. As everyone else has pointed out, take it to a professional for an assessment and repair. A professional can also cut it down in a way that will do the least damage to the value of the rug. I wouldn't recommend making it smaller if the piece is hand woven or traditionally dyed, as those rugs tend to be extremely valuable, which is why you want the professional to do an assessment *first*.

There's a Turkish fellow on Sullivan Street south of Spring who's been selling, repairing and appraising rugs for years. I know he cuts kilims and such to smaller sizes, but really only if they're not valuable, or if its an old rug so beyond repair that the only thing left to do is cut it and use the good bit. And of course, you can tell when a rug has been cut, because the original design is more or less destroyed.

If your only beef with this rug is it won't fit your new space-- its probably best to sell it and buy a new one.

If you need an edge repaired, take it somewhere like Sullivan Street and see what they say.

But really, there's probably no sense (financial or aesthetic) in chopping up a beautiful rug that is otherwise in fine shape.

There's a guy on 23rd st who is a painter whose livelihood is reweaving rugs. He's pretty reasonable. Bob Pittinger
212 691 6948

If it is a hand woven carpet please consider it as a painting. It is getting harder and harder to find such carpets because younger generation turkish women are chosing other careers. So please as you would not cut a painting do not cut your carpet and repair it professionally instead.

Actually, you CAN cut rugs, but I would NOT do it yourself unless you are really, really familiar with how these rugs are made. You can cut it because the knots have a row of weft in between each row of knots to help hold them in place (how do you think people get them off the looms, eh?)

It will have to be rebound (just cutting it will be hard on the warp) and a new hem sewn on. I would also recommend having the hem stitched under the rug and using a rug pad under it if you don't already to help keep damage down.

Before having someone cut it though, I would recommend a professional cleaning by a GOOD rug cleaner, old rugs are beautiful even when a bit threadbare.

Please don't try to trim that rug!