AboutHenry Babcock Expertise I learned needlepoint from my grandmother over 30 years ago. I can answer most questions on the subject. I know about producing needlepoint as well as cleaning, repairing and restoring.
Expert: Henry Babcock Date: 9/14/2007 Subject: Repair
Question I have a puppy, and he has chewed a tiny spot on the edge of a beautiful, 8x10 needlepoint rug. Is it possible to have it repaired or is it a lost cause? It was a gift from my mother, and I can't even think about telling her.
Answer Christina,
Oh no, bad puppy! lol
The short answer is yes, the rug can be repaired.
The real question is how much it will cost. I do the occasional repair, and there are other people who do the same. In general, costs will run $30-$40 per square inch of work. Keep in mind that in order to do a proper repair, it is often necessary to remove stitching an inch or so away from the edge of the damaged area so that, if needed, new canvas threads can be woven in and then restitched.
So, you can see something very small, e.g. a cigarette burn, can still require working on 3 or 4 square inches of the canvas.
To find someone for the repair work, try searching online for "needlepoint repair" or "needlepoint restoration". Have some close-up digital photos ready to send out with your inquiries. You can also ask some local antique/oriental rug dealers if they know of someone who can do the work. You might also inquire with the American Needlepoint Guild (www.needlepoint.org) for some recommendations.
Hope this helps with your inquiry and feel free to come back with any additional questions you might have.
