Thank you very much for the information. It was suggested elsewhere (another forum) that it might be a Soumak style rug from China. It is a flat weave. I'll have to look up Kilim as well. The designs are dragons around the border. From your suggestions and the other I'm confident that it's wool on a cotton backing. A little odd that there is not one identifying mark or label on it. Fortunately it really does not need a cleaning just yet. It came rolled up in a rubber/felt carpet pad that had an "old rubber" smell to it. I've thrown that out and am using the previous living room 8X10 rug as a pad for now. Now that it's been in the living room for 24 hrs the lingering rubber smell has disappeared.

Donate everything. Some people buy things at Goodwill for the fabric for crafts, or for the buttons if they sew, with no intention of wearing the item 'as is'. That 'ol Prom dress with the yellowed underarm stains still has yards of nice velvet or satin, in the skirt that can be used to sew a little girl's dress or to make pillows or even a valance. The beading from that 80's cocktail dress can be removed and used in another sewing project. People who work jobs where their clothing and shoes get ruined, buy stuff that may look shot to you with its "pilling" and fading", but is perfectly servicable for wearing while laying asphalt or working in sewer tunnels or working with caustic chemicals in a factory. I am not being snarky about this. It is true. I know people with jobs like this and they are not even going to buy new cheap stuff at Target that is going to be ruined in three days. They don't even care much if it doesn't fit 'just right' or is faded or missing a button. They only wear the stuff a couple of weeks and a few washings, until it gets a hole burned in it from a caustic spill or splattered with tar or stinks so bad of sewer gas that washing it doesn't help anymore. I used to toss t-shirts and socks but I read that thrift shops make money from selling these types of items to rag vendors. They can still make money off of rags. A lot of people shop for vintage items, and believe it or not, what youngsters consider "vintage" is what some of us still have hanging in our closets or attics. The 70's are cool again and the 80's are bound to come back. A lot of people shop Goodwill for items to be made into Halloween costumes. That wacky orange jumpsuit that you can't figure out why you bought it in the first place except that you were going through your 'Solid Gold Dancer' phase, will make a nice Halloween costume for some college kid. That ugly bridesmaid dress you had to wear for your sisters wedding, can be refashioned into a lovely Princess costume for a little girl for Halloween. Theater groups also shop at Goodwill for costume type items. Believe it or not some people collect vintage undergarments, not just Victorian items like you see decorating in Victoria or Southern Living magazines. So even grandma's old girdles can be donated. As far as donating items that are 'out of style' I don't believe in such a thing as 'out' of style. One reason I shop Goodwill is because I do not like the new styles being featured in the stores. A middle aged woman can't wear micro minis or baggy pants that hang so low that the butt crack shows. And when was the last time you saw casual skirts at mid calf length in the stores? You can't even find skirts, much less the longer ones. I have been recently shopping for a dress to wear to a summer wedding, and all I see in the stores this season, is a lot of 'baby doll' styles with high waistlines that make one look like one is wearing a maternity top without any pants. I found a simple sheath dress for $3 at Goodwill that looks mature. It still had the tags on it!! Brand new. Donate everything, and let the buyers decide if it is 'good enough'.

A new Goodwill opened up in Pierre. They built a big new building. Yesterday was the first time I was in it. It has been open for 2 weeks now I think. There weren't very many people in there. I probably won't be going back either. I know they brought loads of stuff in here that didn't sell any place else. They have racks and racks of clothes. I had found a couple of tshirts, but I held them up and you could see through them. So I put them back. all of there odds and ends stuff is on top of the clothes racks. I am short and I am not going to try to look at stuff that is not even organized. Looked like it was just thrown up there. Hardly anything was marked and if it was it was overpriced. I wanted to use the bathroom but I couldn't find one. There was one door that was marked employees only. I am sure that was probably it. If they built that big of a building you would have thought they would put a bathroom in it. A lot of the clothes looked old. Even the games looked old. There were a lot of ashtrays too. I can't even think of anyone even wanting to buy an ashtray. I haven't seen one for years. Maybe I was too picky I don't know. I will go to the other thrift store. All the clothes are clean and newer. I have bought sets of sheets there for 4.00 and they have them marked if they are deep pockets or not. It may not be as big put I think it is cheaper and the quality is better. Their help is all volunteer and the money goes to help the needy. I have heard that Goodwill gives very little to charity. I can't remember what their sign says. I know one part says something about employing people. I heard on the radio one day they had 13 employees and were looking for 2 more. WOW so they must each get a few hours a week.

It's just the two of us, and although we have a (smallish) walk-in master closet, I have some things hanging in another closet. Many things hang other than my yard/exercise type clothing, lingerie and pjs/gowns, undies, etc. We have drawers in the master closet and also a dresser in the bedroom for folded items. Sweaters are not hung either, they are in drawers. I like things ironed and I don't mind ironing. I usually do as needed. I like shirt sleeves and my husband's cotton pants "creased". We do have a good bit of clothing that doesn't need ironing though. "Dress-up" clothing such as suits, dresses, etc. are most often dry cleaned and I keep them covered, hanging in another bedroom closet. Thankfully those aren't used/needed much! haha!