DESIGNING EXCELLENCE AND KNOTTING
Designing of carpets calls for very special skills. It is most significant feature and makes the art unique. Designs copied mostly from old carpets, rags, pictures, paintings are drawn freehand on a graph paper as per size of the carpet (for bigger carpets it is done in several parts). Kashmir Carpets can be divided so far as design is concerned into two main groups. Carpets with a curvilinear known as Floral designs and carpets with Geometric designs. Also many designs such as spiral patterns, all over patterns, interconnected patterns, paisley patterns, tree patterns, hunting patterns, ceiling patterns of old mosques and shrines, patterns of historic monuments, flower patterns, Vase patterns, mehrab patterns, striped patterns and composites etc and then are given various names.
Various codes represent various shades/colors. Every carpet has a color chart of its own and the respective codes are marked on the above graph paper at desired places and then a script is made by writing all these codes in horizontal rows on long pieces of paper called as Taleem.
| Warp: |
Parallel vertical yarn running through the entire length of the carpet. |
| Weft: |
Parallel horizontal yarn running across the width of the carpet. Its function is to keep the knots in line and lock with each other to provide strength. |
| Knots: |
Tying of individual strands looped around the warp threads and then cut by a sharp blade called Khoor to form the pile of the carpet. |
| Edge binding: |
This is the wrapping of dyed yarn around the outer edges of the carpet. |
| Fringe: |
The tied and visible ends of the wrap strings. |
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The weavers wind required warp threads around the loom vertically and the master weaver reads and begins chanting the Taleem and the other weavers chant their reply after carrying out the instructions as a certain color knot has to be tied at a specific place in the warp. The pile is constructed by wrapping of knotting short individual strands around the warp threads. After completing a row of knots, a weft is carried across the full width of the web and beaten firmly into place with a heavy comb called Punja. As an area is completed, the knotted strands are sheared to create an even pile. The fineness of the weave and the complicity of the design depends on the thickness of the warps and density of the knots. Although there are many kind of knots used in carpets in Persia, Turkey and other places but the knot which we use in Kashmir is the Asymmetrical Persian Knot.
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The value of a carpet entirely depends on the number of knots per square inch. Basically the more knots per square inch means better quality and durability of the carpet.
A carpet 18 x 18 =360 knots per square inch will obviously cost less than a carpet 22 x 22 =484 knots per square inch and so on. The knots could be from 14 x 14 to 45 x 45 in a square inch. Two good weavers can weave a 6 ft x 4 ft silk carpet with 20 x 20 knots per square inch in about 8 months time (weaving about 6 to 8 hours a day and 6 days a week) and exactly same carpet with 16 x 16 knots per square inch they can weave only in 5 months. More than 60% of the cost of a handmade carpet is labour alone and the rest 40% being cost of materials, dyes & designing etc. Presently Kashmir offers cheapest labor in the world so the carpets are sold for very reasonable prices.
After the carpet is completely woven, it is washed in ordinary soap and cold water, using semi hard brushes to remove dirt and dust to restore the original shine of the wool or silk. The carpet is dried and the pile is clipped with special flat scissors and is made even from one end to another, finally the edge binding is done. The carpet gets its final appearance and is ready for sale. |