Handmade Wool Area Rugs - Anatomy of a Rug Loom

RUG GUIDE

Rug Introduction
The Illustrated Rug
From Sheep To Rug
Rug & Knot Types
Rug Loom Types
Basic Rug Care
Stain Removal Guide
Decorating Ideas
Purchasing Guide
Rug Names & Places
Rug History Chart
Glossary of Terms

Presented by NEJAD RUGS:

THE ORIENTAL RUG LOOM: Basic Types & Function

photo depicting the fine art of hand knotting a wool rug as a worker is engaged in the process of weaving a large vertical rug loom - India

A MAN AT A LARGE VERTICAL LOOM [India] 3 WOMEN WEAVE IN UNISON ON A SINGLE LOOM [China]

Illustration showing an Oriental rug loom and description of individual features of the loom.
THE ANATOMY OF A RUG LOOM

Illustration of 'Shed'

DIFFERENT LOOM TYPES

Different loom types: 'Horizontal'
1. HORIZONTAL (NOMADIC, GROUND)
loom types: 'Village', 'Vertical', 'Roller Beam'
2. VILLAGE (VERTICAL) 3. TABRIZ 2. ROLLER BEAM

HOW AN ORIENTAL RUG LOOM WORKS
1. Mount the Warp; 2. Form the Shed
3. Pass thick weft through shed; 4. Close shed
5. Reverse shed; 6. Pass thin weft
7. Close shed; 8. Tie and cut knot
9. Complete row of knots; 10. Insert a set of wefts and pound down both with iron comb; 11. Alternate steps 9 & 10 until rug finished
12. Final steps: Cut rug off loom; Finish ends and sides

RECENT LOOM INNOVATIONS

From am article in a New Delhi newspaper
stating that Vinod Nair has devised a horizontal carpet loom
HORIZONTAL RUG LOOM ADAPTED FOR COMMERCIAL USE

Four wooden bars similar to a frame construct a horizontal loom. The distance between the two parallel sidebars depends on the width of the rug to be woven and the distance between the top and the bottom bars determines the length of the rug.
Production time, worker safety issues and rug size limitations (with respect to looms of comparably sized horizontal/vertical types only) - may all be improved with the adaptation of the horizontal loom for commercial use.