Carpet & Rug Design Techniques & Traditions

Oriental Rugs

• Oriental rugs branched into three styles. The first style were those discovered by Marco Polo on his travels during the 13th century. These were made in Persia, the Caucasus, Turkey, Central Asia and Egypt. The photograph above depicts the typical pattern from these countries. Then the craft of rug-making was taken up in Tibet and China. Their designs featured mandalas and other spiritual symbols of their Eastern religions and philosophies. India adopted the rug-making technique from Persia, and wove narratives into their patterns of the conquests of the Mogul Empire. The techniques of Oriental rug-weaving have changed little since the craft was developed over 2,000 years ago. The designs stem from either Persian, Chinese/Tibetan or Indian history and culture.

Carpets in Persia and Europe

• Early rugs and carpets were woven from dried out reeds and tough grasses, and as the craft became more refined, animal hair and cotton began to be used. The art of weaving was passed from the Persians to the Greeks, then to the Romans, as each civilization was conquered by the next. Britain was a slow developer in the art of weaving, beginning in about 1350 and exporting the craft to France soon after. There are two classic British weave designs: Wilton and Axminster. The Wilton was adopted from a technique that was developed in Wilton, Brussels. This was used in a factory at Wilton in Wiltshire, until Thomas Whitty developed the hand-knotted technique in 1750, and opened a factory at Axminster.

Carpets in America

• Wilton and Axminster remained the two dominating techniques until the early 1900s, when the "tufting" technique was adapted in America from a technique that was used to make candlewick bedspreads. A piece of cloth was woven, then had "tufts" or piles inserted into it. Machinery was developed in the mid-20th century that allowed this technique to be done on large pieces of carpet. During the 1950s this technique was adopted in Northern Ireland, and continued as one the most popular alternative to the traditional British Wilton and Axminster weaves. With the development of industrial machinery from the 1960s onwards, decorative designs were added, and carpets were woven in a variety of colors and patterns. A stroll through the history of textiles in the second half of the 20th century shows how these were influenced decade after decade by trends in interior design and home decor, not always with good results!

Rug Weaving on a Loom

• A small, simple loom called a "heddle loom" can be about 12, 18 or 24 inches across and is a good start for the beginner. Two fabrics are woven into the rug -- the warp, which is the hard, durable material, and the weft, which is the softer upper fabric that faces upwards when the rug is on the floor. The loom should come with instructions, which need to be followed carefully. The warp is affixed to the loom, and the weft is then woven in by the loom, which needs to be operated by hand. A short textiles course will teach you a variety of techniques and styles. To make an authentic-looking Oriental rug, use signature designs that are characterized by diamond-shaped patterns and geometrical arrangements.