A Narrative Of Handcrafted Rugs

Compassion And Inventiveness

The odyssey of a carpet begins far earlier than a thread, with a concept. The designers consider a notion and determine the design that will be used on the next carpet. They are free to change the colour of the design to anything they like; it takes some skill to understand how the colour will replicate with different types of yarn under different sorts of lighting. A carpet with the same design is produced in three or more colour variations. For reference, each colour is placed next to pom. The artists convert their concepts from a hand-drawn sketch to a computer-aided drawing that demands manual finesse. Each square symbolizes one knot and is drawn on graph paper. To portray the intricacy in shades, the contour is filled in with paint. The final sketch assists the weaver in determining the design of the rug and the colour of each knot. A skilled weaver will seldom refer to the drawing. Printed designs are meticulously traced and marked. Colours, ratios, knot count, and procedures are defined to communicate the intended effect to a group of weavers. The patterns are now ready for weaving.

Materials Used For the Process

A hand-knotted rug is made from the finest cotton, silk, and wool imported from New Zealand. Wool, the most often used fibre for carpets, is processed numerous times to obtain the required yarn. Silk is typically utilised as an accent since it is less durable and more costly. Cotton is occasionally utilised in the foundation but is not visible in the pile. The combination of these materials results in an incredibly durable carpet. First, the wool is meticulously sorted and cleaned, removing undesirable particles like dust and oil. After that, it is completely cleaned and sun-dried. The wool is then spun by hand, which is a time-consuming process yet necessary for producing high-quality yarn. Furthermore, there are advanced techniques of feeding the wool into a machine or spinning wheel that separates and pulls the wool into distinct strands. The wool is spun into yarn in this manner. The yarn spinning process is continued until the yarn is sufficiently twisted and strong. Some people choose to wash the yarn again in clean water to eliminate any remaining dust and debris. When the yarn has dried, it is shipped to our plant in Panipat, Haryana. The thickness of the yarn is determined by the carpet’s fineness.

Fibre Dyeing Process

The next stage is to dye the thread, which includes stretching it over the poles that are put on the borders of a huge circular vessel. This is a classic procedure in which the fibre is repeatedly dipped in dye to ensure equal colour. Marwar employs the natural dying process, and our palette includes rich, brilliant, and luminous natural reds, yellows, blues, and browns, as well as endless synthetic dye colours. The spinning of yarns into hot tubs is the next step forward. The dye is heated to a near-boiling temperature for a specific period, which is regulated by the colour, kind of dye, and desired intensity. If there are high volumes of yarns, the electrical vat saves time by dyeing bigger volumes in a shorter time. After dyeing, the yarns are steamed, cleaned, and dried in the sun.

Yarns Now Ready To Use

The yarn is then coiled into huge balls before being sent to the craftsmen. Before weaving begins, the artisans are given a comprehensive pattern drawing of the rug on graph paper for reference. Each square on the paper symbolizes a rug knot.

The Looming Process

The technique of hand-knotting is engrossing. The rhythmic movement of the weaver’s fingers is impossible to ignore. Once the loom is put up, the vertical threads, known as warp, are attached to the loom. Cotton warps are commonly used, offering a perfect surface for a flat, straight rug. These strands eventually constitute the rug’s fringe. The weaver fixes the warps by arranging horizontal rows of wefts and intertwining the warp to form the rug’s base. Cotton, wool, or silk are commonly used for the weft. The weft also forms the rug’s edges, which hold the rug together. The weaver works methodically knot by knot, inch by inch, until the design is complete. A change in colour in the pattern indicates a new thread and a new beginning spot.

The Hand-Knotting Process

A quality hand-knotted carpet might take months to finish depending on the size, style, and pattern of the carpet. A Hand-knotted Rug is made from the finest cotton, silk, and wool. The weaver cuts the knot using a hooked knife, then binds the knot with his or her hands, and finally secures and tightens the rows of knots together with a comb-like instrument. The threads on the back of the rug are also clipped equally using scissors. A skilled artisan can tie 1,000 knots every hour and one knot every two seconds. This pace gradually increases over time. Depending on the size of the carpet, a single person or a group can knot it on a vertical loom.

A hand-knotted rug is made up of several types of knots. The sort of knot used is heavily influenced by the location and how the practice was passed down through the generations. The Persian knot is used to make carpets in most nations. Ghiordes, Senneh, Tibetan, and jufti are only a few examples of knots. To guarantee that the carpet pile is compact, the knots are hammered down. Hand-knotting is the most elaborate and time-consuming carpet weaving technique used today. It needs strong hand-eye coordination, the precision of hand, a stable demeanour, and, most importantly, a little spirit. This talent has a special aesthetic harmony to it that appears to tie the weaver’s soul to the rug. This is why each rug has a unique personality that is impossible to replicate. You now understand why a knotted rug takes significantly longer to make and costs more than other types of carpets.

The Finishing Touch

The loomed carpet is removed, and the designs and patterns are trimmed using scissors. The carpet is measured and evaluated for colour, pile quality, and detail. Shearing is the process of cutting it to the proper size and polishing it. This is machine-controlled and prepares the carpet for the finer components of finishing. Depending on the pattern, carpets can be polished in a variety of ways. Pattern boundaries are clipped and cleaned, and pile lines are manually sorted. In our sculpted carpet series, embossing helps lift the design off the surface. It is a method of creating a three-dimensional effect by shearing portions of the rug pile. Sculpting usually emphasises the rug’s design. This is a demanding technique that is only accomplished by highly trained craftsmen. This creates a variety of finishes such as textured, Saxony, cut pile, and loop pile. All of these features give the carpet depth and individuality. The carpet surging determines its finished size. The last phases in the creation of a Marwar carpet are marked by a craftsman looping the yarn around the edges.

The Washing Of The Carpet

Finally, the carpet is cleaned by soaking it in water and then squeezing the water out, which eliminates the dirt and any excess colour. The carpet is cleaned multiple times in this manner until all dust, detergent, filth, and yarn particles are removed. The carpet is then put flat on the ground and washed with fresh water by squeezing the hose against the carpet. The rug washers then use a sharpened wood board on one end to drive water through the rug pile. This eliminates contaminants gathered during the manufacturing process. The rug is then dried in the sun until the colours are entirely stable. Eventually, the colours slowly fade, giving the carpet its lovely tone.

The Packaging

Before being sold, the carpet is properly inspected, rolled, and boxed. Every carpet has a Marwar label on it.

This is the narrative of the handcrafted rug, that is created in-house and completely blended into a little town called Panipat in Haryana, India. The carpet not only demonstrates flawless craftsmanship, but it is also a communal expression of the individuals engaged in all stages of a handcrafted carpet’s creation. Only those with a great eye for detail and an art appreciation would recognise and appreciate the passion and meticulous effort that has gone into each of our carpets. If you want one, you may have it personalized to your liking and enjoy the exquisite plush carpet that Marwar Carpets has to offer.