How is a handmade carpet made and what are the different elements. Rug knowledge helps the appreciation of these floor coverings.
Parts of a Carpet
Warp – The warp are strands of wool, cotton or silk fibres. They are attached to the loom from top to bottom, or in a vertical manner. It is used as the main backbone of the carpet. The ends of the warp end up being the fringes once the rug is woven.
Pile – The pile is the surface of the carpet that you see. It is a group of knots, hence hand knotted rug, that is woven onto the warp. For more information about knots per square inch or kpsi, click here. Each area has its weaving technique and characteristics of knotting.
Weft – sometimes visible from the back, depending on the type of weaving, the weft is made up of strands that are interlaced with the warp horizontally. They are typically of the same material as the warp and are threaded in and out of the warp after each row of knots has been woven.
Edge bindings or selvedge – To reinforce the edges, they are covered with either an overcast, a simple running stitch, or a selvedge, which uses a woven band. They protect the rug from unravelling. It is important that selvedges are repaired as soon as they are damaged. Otherwise, a relatively inexpensive repair can turn into rather a more costly one.
Knots – Knots are the loops made around the warp during weaving.
Fringes – The warp strings at the end of the rug are knotted together in bundles after it has been cut off from the loom. Sometimes a stop is put at the end, which has the same effect. The knots in the fringes are useful as they keep the knots and end finishes from going loose at the ends of the rug. They should be repaired as soon as damaged to stop incurring further costly repairs.
If you have more questions about your carpet, carpet cleaning or how to buy antique rugs, visit us today at Sharafi & Co.
