TABLE TUFTED
Table tufting is a rug-making technique that involves the use of a specialized tufting machine to create rugs with a loop or cut pile surface. Here's a brief overview of the table tufting process:
- Preparation of Materials: Before tufting begins, the primary backing material (typically made of woven or non-woven fabric) is prepared and stretched tightly over a flat surface, such as a table or frame.
- Setting Up the Tufting Machine: The tufting machine is positioned above the primary backing material. It consists of a needle bar with multiple needles, which penetrate the backing material to form loops or tufts.
- Tufting Process: The rug design is programmed into the tufting machine, guiding the movement of the needles to create the desired pattern. As the machine operates, the needles punch yarn through the backing material, forming loops on the underside of the rug. The length of the loops can be adjusted to create different pile heights.
- Cutting (if applicable): If a cut pile rug is desired, a cutting mechanism is employed to shear the loops created by the tufting machine. This results in a plush, uniform surface with individual yarn tufts.
- Finishing: After tufting and cutting (if applicable), the rug undergoes finishing processes such as washing, drying, and trimming to remove excess yarn and achieve the desired appearance and dimensions.
- Efficiency: Table tufting machines can produce rugs at a relatively high speed, making them suitable for large-scale production.
- Design Versatility: The programmable nature of tufting machines allows for intricate designs and patterns to be easily achieved.
- Consistency: Table tufting results in uniform pile height and density, ensuring consistent quality across each rug.
- Customization: Manufacturers can easily adjust tufting parameters to create rugs with varying pile heights, textures, and patterns to meet specific customer preferences.
HAND TUFTED
In this technique, a drawing is made on an actual size canvas which is stretched and put on a frame. A ‘tufting gun’ is then used to tuft different color bundled yarns onto this canvas as per the design. In order to give strength, warmth and insulation to this rug, an additional backing (latex or other material) is affixed to the back of the rug. Pile of the rug, which is in the form of a loop, can either be cut or left as it is, to give a different look and feel to the carpet. Even height of the pile can be varied to give the rug a different texture (high and low pile effect). By varying the drawing, material, pile height and yarn colors, any design (complicated or simple) or texture can be realized using this technique. Price of these rugs depends on complexity of the design and the material used.
- Individual tufts of yarn are punched into a pre-made backing fabric with a special tufting gun
- This tool hooks and pulls yarn through the backing to form loops or piles
- This process is less skill and labor-intensive than hand-knotting, so rugs can be completed in a shorter amount of time
How To Identify:
These rugs have a canvas backing glued on to hold the knots in place and usually have a cut or cut n loop pile.
HAND KNOTTED
This is the most labor-intensive technique and therefore, also most expensive. A skilled weaver would individually make this, thus creating a one-of-a-kind rug. Depending on the number of knots and complexity of design, a single rug can take months to complete. These rugs are sturdy and can withstand heavy usage.
- The most labour-intensive weaving process, conducted by specially-trained artisans
- Working off a rug map, artisans tie individual knots to build up the rug’s design one row at a time
- The quality of a hand-knotted rug is determined by the number of knots per square inch (KSPI)
- A higher KPSI requires greater skill on the part of the weaver and results in a higher-quality rug
How To Identify:
Individual, often uneven knots are visible on the back of these rugs, mirroring the pattern visible on the front.
Our rugs provide a unique combination of beauty and history to any room. Learning how to identify your rug can help you learn a bit about its past, understand how to care for this type of antique, and even get a sense of its value. There are several clues that can help you discover more about your rug, many of which you can interpret yourself.
Our rugs provide a unique combination of beauty and history to any room. Learning how to identify your rug can help you learn a bit about its past, understand how to care for this type of antique, and even get a sense of its value. There are several clues that can help you discover more about your rug, many of which you can interpret yourself.
FLAT WEAVING
Flatweave rugs are generally thinner and woven flat resulting in a lighter rug. As a result of this, flatwoven rugs are fantastic options for less formal settings. The expected durability of this type of rug is over 20 years and they take on average between three to four months make.
The horizontal nature of the rug fibres as opposed to the vertical construction of other rugs is why this rug construction is called flat weave. This method results in a much thinner rug finish than other techniques.
The horizontal nature of the rug fibres as opposed to the vertical construction of other rugs is why this rug construction is called flat weave. This method results in a much thinner rug finish than other techniques.
The unique construction of these rugs means there is no hard backing on a flat weave rug like what you would find on other types of rugs. Because of this, it’s possible to use both sides of most flat woven floor coverings. We recommend using a rug pad with flat-weave rugs.
- Flat-weave rugs are created on a loom, rather than knotted or tufted
- These rugs are often reversible, with designs on both sides
- Because they only consist of warp and weft threads they don’t have the thickness of knotted and tufted rugs
- Flat-weave rugs are lightweight and often require rug pads to stay in place
How To Identify:
Hand-loomed rugs usually have a low to medium pile (other than shags, which have a deep pile) and can have a canvas backing added to them.
HAND LOOMED
Weaving Techniques
In this technique, flat woven rugs are made with a two-dimensional construction. They do not have a pile and are made of sets of interlacing threads called warp and weft. This technique produces flat and light weight rugs.
Not all handmade rugs are woven in the same way. The style of weaving determines both the appearance of the finished product, as well as the price (due to the time and labour involved).
Weaving Techniques at a Glance
Machine Technique
- Setting Up the Machine: The tufting machine is equipped with a needle bar containing multiple needles arranged in a row or multiple rows. These needles penetrate the backing material to form loops or tufts.
- Tufting Process: The design of the rug is programmed into the tufting machine, guiding the movement of the needles to create the desired pattern. As the machine operates, the needles punch yarn through the backing material, forming loops on the underside of the rug. The length and density of the loops can be adjusted to achieve different pile heights and textures.
- Cutting (if applicable): For rugs with a cut pile surface, a cutting mechanism is employed to shear the loops created by the tufting machine. This results in a plush, uniform surface with individual yarn tufts.
- Finishing: After tufting and cutting (if applicable), the rug undergoes finishing processes such as washing, drying, and trimming to remove excess yarn and achieve the desired appearance and dimensions.
- Speed and Efficiency: Machine tufting allows for rapid production of rugs, making it suitable for large-scale manufacturing.
- Consistency: The automated nature of machine tufting ensures uniformity in pile height, density, and pattern across each rug.
- Versatility: Manufacturers can easily adjust tufting parameters to create rugs with various pile heights, textures, and patterns to meet market demands.
- Cost-effectiveness: Machine tufting can be more cost-effective than hand-tufting or other rug-making techniques, making it accessible to a wider range of consumers.