After several years of picking it up and doing several rows and then forgetting it, I have finished going the rug. Yesterday I coated the back in dilute Copydex glue to lock the loops in place. It was a truly messy job. The Copydex was old and so had some lumps I had to try to avoid. It also send to set almost immediately unless I mixed it into the water very quickly. However this generic solution beat paying the high price of the recommended latex backing product.

The Copydex liquid dries clear.

Is saw this idea suggested on a blog and it seems to have worked fine. It took a while to dry though, so I think I diluted the glue to much. Finally, by this morning it’s safe to move, and hasn’t run into the front pile as I feared it might.

The back after it has dried

I have to see on the edging tape and then it’s done. I considered adding a Hessian backing but decided it might spoil the overall softness of the rug. I also wondered if friction with the rough Hessian might draw the wool fibres through to the back.

I’ll see how it wears. I can back it later if necessary.