$4000 Patchwork Rug

So, I was recently down in Atlanta, GA for a lecture and some meetings and I decided to stop by the Lenox Square Mall right across the street from my hotel.   I needed some post-it notes for a project and decided to pop in.   Okay, wrong kind of mall to look for post-it notes.   It's a very very high-end mall.

So, to make the best of the situation, I decided to look around and window shop.  I stopped by the Shabby Chic store and to my surprise, I found something I liked.    I am not a Shabby Chic person at all (which the sales person seemed to agree with my dark jeans and gray t-shirt and camo baseball cap) and said this rug was not "very Shabby Chic either."   Must be why I liked it.

Anyway, I need a big area rug for my new living room and was told this rug was hand-stitched together in Turkey using vintage carpet remnants.   Cool!    Not cool:  the $4000 price tag.

I am going to be shopping flea markets and buying 3-4 vintage rugs that are worn out and well loved.  Then I'm going to cut them up into random squares and handstitch them together myself using hemp string and a large needle.   Sure, it's going to take extra work.   But then I'll probably save $3500 in the process, too.

I'll keep you posted on this project...

Comments

[Gina]

Good God I love that rug! But, yeah, the price is WAY too steep. PLEASE let us know how the project goes. I may even try something like that, myself!

[Jen on the Edge]

I just LOVE this idea.

[laurel Sauls]

I have considering doing this myself because I absolutely LOVE the look of rugs like this...I think you showed one on your blog a long time ago from another store (but the rug wasn't for sale). Remember that post? Anywho, that rug is super-Fab, but definitely out of my price range!

[Liz]

Great carpet, and great idea. Looking forward to seeing your version.

[recovergirl]

this is brilliant. it reminds me of the FLOR souk chic rug you blogged about a while back. i just checked the FLOR site. The six tile version is only $149. Not bad. However, I will follow Danny's lead and try to make one myself.

[kelly]

I NEVER cease to be amazed at the brazen price tags you see in places like that. It's a beautiful rug, however. At least you got some great inspiration!

[Vicky]

The price tag reflects the rent the store probably pays to be in that fancy place. I look forward to your version.

[Gina]

Fabu rug; terrific craft project. Can't wait to see how yours comes out. Perhaps can use some of the scraps for a cat house, a la Jonathan Fong's cat condo conversion (http://www.jonathanfongstyle.com/decor/cat_condo.html)...

[Gina]

Must remove the )... to have the link work, like this: http://www.jonathanfongstyle.com/decor/cat_condo.html

[Annabelle]

Wow, what a fab idea! I have a small hand knotted rug I got as a wedding gift and the cats got to it and frayed the edges. Now I know what I can do with it. Thanks, but it’s going to take me some time just to collect some. I'll wait to see yours first!

[emily h]

I recently facilitated a tile painting activity at a zoo from some old bisqued tiles that had never been used. We had the kids sgraffito nature-inspired designs into them. When they are glazed and fired, they are to be used eventually somewhere on grounds. Since the zoo has a conservation message, do you have any good ideas how we can display them in such a way?

[ANNE KAZ]

hı, I'm from Turkiye I like is rug :)) but realy expensive

[Timothy Latz]

Fabulous rug, however it's a bit pricey for shabby chic.. I bought the most amazing bookbag made from upholstery scraps in the furniture making region of NC for $1 @ a Gooodwill Store. Everyone comments on it all the time and I get to smile about paying only a dollar for something handmade and recycled. I highly recommend looking in the Hickory, NC region for furniture, upholstery and fabric scraps at various thrift stores and outlets..

[S]

Too high a price for that rug, unless you were buying a real Persian rug or something, not worth it. Very pretty though. Good idea to buy several rugs to stitch together.

[Alli]

Amazing rug! I went in to my local Shabby Chic store to check it out, and I have to be honest for a rug that size, and that unique- you can't compare it's prices to the Ikea's, P.Barns, Crate and Barrels of the world. I am def. more contemporary than what I imagined Shabby to be, but there was actually a lot there that I liked. Great find!

[Fredric]

Great idea!!! Looks like there's about two dozen rugs that were involved. So, if you can learn the skills of sewing pieces together, you would have two dozen rugs. 23 rugs for sale at $3500 will be worth $80,500. There are designer stores and galleries across the country that would probably take them.
There was a gypsy movie some years ago, where the young kid swallowed a diamond at a diamond store. It was a preplanned heist. Anyway, I understand that when he grew-up, he made (makes?)tapestry wall hangings that sell in NYC for a lot more than that rug.

[unha]

fantastic idea!
i just moved to a new house and been looking for some large rug. i'm totally going to try this idea too!

[Em]

holy cow - what a great idea! thanks for sharing. I may try this in the future when I need a new rug!

[Mike Jakubowski]

Dan, I own a very worn rug, legit handmade... want to sell it cheap would you be interested? I can email photos... the rug is about 60+ years old and is in mellow oranges mostly...

Mike Jakubowski (jakubowski@gmail.com)