Carpet making- part 1

This carpet making place was on the same site at the block-printing place. By operating through a co-operative, the weavers and others make nearly twice as much as they did as independent contractors. It also provides a guarantee that there is no child labour used, and no synthetic fibres used. The co-op has an export licence which allows it to sell goods tax-free to foreigners, as a way of encouraging trade.

For a start, it doesn't do it this way:

New Axminster Gripper Electronic Jacquard Carpet Weaving Loom 4 meter wide 12 colors to 18 colors

After dying the wool, and setting up the loom, and choosing the pattern and um, all those other first steps, the first step is to hand-knot the rug.

Some of the vegetable-dyed skeins of wool

which were used in this rug

This rug was made using one knotting style

The knotting style used on this rug, a B-shape

Showing the pattern on the back of the rug

and this one, using yak wool for the background, and silk for the pattern, uses a different one

Knotting style, more a figure of 8

Showing the design, on the back of the rug

Figure of 8 knotting style visible, if you peer closely

This last picture also shows the weft (white thread going across) which is run across above each row of knots. It is then whacked down very firmly with a long-toothed metal comb (which I'm hoping someone else got a picture of, because I didn't).

Once the rug is completed, there are a number of other stages to be done. See Part 2 for the trimming, scorching, washing, de-snagging and other processes.