Abstract: A portable integral compact rug binding machine which may be guided along the outside edge of a carpet to be bound by means of a handle is disclosed. The rug binding machine is provided with a vertically mounted drive motor and a low or close to the floor base member wherein a portion or zone of the carpet being bound curves up and over the base plate or support means without need for folding the carpet back over its entire length. The binding machine performs the binding operation with the use of a single binding thread fed to the needle from above. A driven carrier roll is provided for moving the carpet with respect to the binding needle, and in one embodiment, an adjustable pressure roller is provided for enabling binding around curved edges of the carpeting.