RUGS AND CARPETS

Durries, flat woven rugs, can be found all over India. Some areas only produce cotton durries, but these in Jodhpur, Rajastan include cotton, wool and silk. The goemetric designs are produced by tapestry technique which is a slow process using separate bobbins or butterflies for each colour across the width interlocking with the adjacent coloured yarn. The weavers sit crosslegged on the side of the loom, sometimes with a weaver on each side.

In Hyderabad, A.P. I discovered this little factory handweaving wall to wall pile carpet, housed in an ancient building near the Golconda Fort. The interesting process uses a supplimentary wool warp to create the pile. The wool yarn goes over a steel rod inserted in the row. Then a row of plain weave is done with jute to hold the wool in place. After thirty wool rows have been done, the rods are removed by slashing the top along a groove in the rod. Then the process starts all over again. After the carpet is finished and coated with latex on the back, clipping gives the carpet a table top finish.