METHODS OF HANDMAKING RUGS
Hello, today we are going to talk about how rugs are made. Again when we use the word rugs we are talking about smaller items and the word carpet is used for larger rugs. There are all kinds of carpets including Persian Carpets, Modern Handmade Carpets, Luxury Handmade Carpets, Custom Made Carpets and then there are machine-made.
The first carpets ever made came from nomadic people who had sheep and timber. To put it simply the timber was set up as a square or rectangle, this is called the loom. Then like a harp wool was strung across one end to the other, this wool set-up is called the warp. Then individual pieces of wool were tied to the warp until they reached the other side of the loom. Then a piece of wool is run horizontally across the loom. This is called the weft. The next row would then commence and continue on until the desired size is made. Later they started dying the wool in different colours and placing various colours beside each other to form a pattern.
Once this was done they cut the warp ends off the loom leaving some of the wool longer at the ends. This is known as the fringe. This carpet has its fringe showing in the main photo Bokhora. In this case, the fringe is white because it is cotton. The reason we are showing this is because nearly all our carpets have a cotton warp and weft. Cotton is stronger so will keep a carpet in shape and wool is used for the pile because it has a natural lanolin inherent in the fibre which protects the rug from the absorption of dirt. When complete the woollen pieces of these nomadic rugs were shaved to one level.
The original nomadic rugs had a woollen warp and weft also known as “base”. It was found however that over time, they would start to change shape, especially after washing them hence the introduction of the cotton base.
In today’s Persian Carpet industry after weaving is complete the hand-knotted Persian and Modern Carpets are shaved to one or two levels. This gives the carpets a textured look. Here is a carpet with two levels of shaving done Modern Luxury Handmade Carpet with a High Low Textured Pile
In the past years some manufacturers have started to take shortcuts and not put in the weft. This reduces time and materials but can compromise the quality of the masterpiece.
There are also some who will weave a few rows at a time rapping the wool around a pole and then cutting the pile and removing the pole. This can be used in the Nepalese technique.
However, there are also high-quality carpets that have a strong but thin warp and weft so they can fit more knots per square meter and then the design looks better, the carpet feels better and the pile is dense and sturdy. Here is an example of a Modern Persian Carpet that has a high-quality weave. Luxury Modern Handmade Rug | Carpet
There is also a process to make what is known as hand-loomed carpets. The loom is set up to make it quicker per carpet however it is set up for only one design per loom. It is not economical to make only one carpet design in this way so the loom is set up to make a number of the same design.
There are also machine-woven carpets which also have more than one of each design. Machine weaving can vary in quality to the point of printing onto a carpet which is the cheapest type.
There is also a technique called hand tufting. This is where the pile is hooked onto a warp then a backing usually cotton is attached. This quality can vary but is essentially variable in the quality of the fibre being used to make it. It is the best way to get the exact colour required because the dyes are made and not washed after completion so remain the same. These carpets can only be dry cleaned after use and not washed with water.
In conclusion, the ancient process of hand-knotting is the root of Persian Carpet Art and has developed over the years to be able to make a quality that can last centuries. This technique of hand-knotting results in an original work of art unique to your home. Master Rugs located at 487 Church St Richmond Vic, stocks Original Unique One-Off hand-knotted masterpieces and a range of different qualities to cater for all budgets.
