You can't make a living as a rug maker unless you understand why people buy hand made rugs, spending a lot more money than for a rug of the same size at a discount store. There is an emotional appeal to the hand made rug that the mass produced rug will never have. When people purchase a hand made rug they will look for design, quality and a beautiful finish. One of the best markets for hand made rugs is through reputable interior designers and decorators. These people are always on the look out for unique, hand made items.
People see what they expect to see.
On the other hand, if you market your rugs through craft or art 'galleries', museum shops or juried textile shows, people will assume that your rugs are indeed examples of folk art. In order to market your rugs successfully, you have to respect your own work enough to make sure that your rugs are sold in the right company. Part of respecting your own work is to price your rugs right. Keep track of how much your materials cost and how much time you spent to make the finished rug. Pay yourself a decent wage.