Rug Making Process

Weaving Techniques

• Hand Knotted
• Hand Loom
• Hand Tufted
• Dhurries & Kilims 
• Machine Made

Rug Choosing Guide 

• Size
• Patterns
• Shape
• Pile
• Knots per Inch 

Rug Care

• Silk Rugs
• Wool Rugs
• Bamboo Silk/Tencel/Viscose
• Polyester/Polypropylene/Nylon
• Cotton Rugs
• Jute/Sisal/Coir/Hemp/Grass Rugs
• Leather Rugs
• Rubber Floor Coverings

Hand-Knotted

Think royal, and luxurious Oriental and Persian carpets and you can be sure they have been Hand-knotted. The weaver weaves them by hand on specially designed looms that allow for the alternation weaving of the warp and the weft; two basic components of weaving that turn thread into yarn. Horizontally placed yarns or warps are held in tension on a frame while vertical yarns or wefts are drawn through and inserted over and under the warp. The idea is to create a pile effect by working line by line. 

The artisan ties individual knots to the warp yarns working lengthwise to form the surface, or pile, of the rug. After the knots are tied, the artisan will finish weaving each line by locking the knots in place with a thread of weft before moving on to the next line. The wefts lend the carpet its thickness. They can be made of wool, cotton or silk. Warp threads are traditionally thicker and stronger and can be cotton, wool or silk threads. The knot count of a hand knotted rug can vary between 16 to 800 knots per square inch. The knot count is determined by factors like the fineness of the weave, the quality of the materials and the expertise of the weavers. The more the knots, the more sophisticated the design. A high knot density is better suited for intricate and curvilinear designs, which must necessarily have a shorter pile length to avoid looking blurry. Bold, geometric designs, on the other hand, will look better on a long pile that has a softer and more reflective surface that appeals to the sense of touch. After the rug is completed, the warp ends that hang loose at the fringes are weft-faced, braided, tasseled, or secured in other ways.

The knots are woven in two main styles - symmetrical (Turkish or Ghiordes and asymmetrical (Senneh or Persian). The symmetrical knot used in Turkey, the Caucasus, East Turkmenistan, and some parts of Iran is used when bold and rectilinear designs are wanted whereas the asymmetrical know used in India, Turkey, Pakistan, China, and Egypt weaves more fluent and curvilinear designs. Another knot that uses only half the amount of pile yarn is used in Persia to save material when weaving large single colour areas of a rug but rugs woven using Jufti knots don’t last as long as those woven through symmetrical and asymmetrical knots. On the other hand, European carpets will often be woven using the Spanish Knot which loops around warps that are placed alternatively within a row of warps. 

Whatever the design, hand knotted carpets are a rug collector’s dream. They are priceless collections finding their way into his treasure trove. The hand knotted technique of rug weaving is a labour intensive one, and takes time but is well worth the patience. Depending on the size and quality of the rug being woven, each hand-knotted carpet can take between 2 to 12 months to make. They command high prices in the market and a preferred choice for buyers who prefer quality over quantity. 

Is a Hand knotted rug really for you?

Well, you know you need a hand knotted rug when you want a rug that:

• Stands out because of its uniqueness and intricacy of detail
• Is comfortable to walk on with a low to medium pile height
• Will last you 30 years or more
• Goes well with a formal gathering space with high traffic such as a living room
• Does not look similar to any other rug you’ve seen because they are hand knotted rugs by artisans, where each artisan lends the rug each unique touch of craftsmanship.
• That sheds but minimally.
• Is a prestigious collector’s item to own
• Will be more expensive than you imagined but you don’t mind the high price at all.