Carpet making - part 2

Unfortunately, I don't know the sequence of the following steps, as they weren't explained to us. I have made a guess, but there are no doubt errors. If you have any corrections or other information, I'd be delighted to hear from you!

One of the steps is to scorch the back of the rug with a blowtorch. This serves two key purposes: it assures the co-op that no synthetic (i.e. flammable) materials were used, and secondly, it improves the grip the rug has on the floor, that is, it reduces the likelihood of the rug slipping about.

Scorching the bag of the rug

The brush (top right in the shot) is used to sweep off the charred bits.

Another step is the run a sharp poker across every row, and along every weft. This is to remove any knots or snags.


The surface is combed with a metal comb to removed excess fluff

The rug is also washed numerous times, by the simple process of throwing water over it. I think they use some form of mild detergent the first couple of times. They assured us repeatedly that, if a rug was all natural fibres and all natural dyes, it could be washed like this without concern. Might be easier and less choking than beating it with a rug-beater!

Washing the rug by throwing water at it

Scraping off the excess water using a wooden paddle/scraper

After the first wash, the rug has to be stretched into shape while it dries. They assure this is only necessary after the first wash, as both cotton and wool shrink.

Stretching the rug to dry after its first washing

Other steps include trimming the pile. Often this is done to make the (silk) patterns sit higher than the background colour.

Embossing effect, by trimming the background colour

Trimming the background, to yield a raised pattern

Not surprisingly, these trimmers earn more than the weavers, as they need to take extra care. One slip by then can ruin weeks of work.

I don't know at which point the knotting of the weft rows is done, but it's after the rug is completed, but before it is trimmed/shaved.

After seeing this, we were invited inside to the rug showroom. Which may or may not have been a mistake.  See more in Part 3