Carpet Manufacturing Methods: Knotting

Carpet weaving is a very ancient art that was likely developed by nomads in Central Asia. There are two main types of knots commonly used: symmetrical and asymmetrical. On a loom, the warp threads—which serve as the base—are knotted together with the individual wool threads. Various tools are used for this, such as weaving hooks, as well as different types of scissors and knives. Hand-knotting is a time-consuming process that used to be performed almost exclusively by women. Once completed, the rug is cut off the loom and undergoes a final finishing process. This includes trimming and making the fringes. Additionally, the long sides are edged. Wool, cotton, or silk is used for knotting. Hand-knotted rugs come from various countries or regions. They often differ in their patterns and the colors used. In all cases, the work is very labor-intensive, and this is naturally reflected in the price.

At your favorite carpet store, you’ll find two fundamentally different types of knotted carpets. In addition to hand-knotted carpets, there are also machine-knotted ones. Machine-knotted carpets are, of course, produced much faster than hand-knotted ones. This manufacturing process allows only fixed widths, which are later cut to the appropriate sizes. It is possible to produce a wide variety of patterns, but you’re limited to 8 to 10 colors. Sometimes, after cutting the carpet to size and sewing the edges, fringes are also added. These are sewn onto the narrow sides, whereas in hand-knotting, the fringes are formed from the warp threads. Materials used in machine-knotting include wool and cotton, as well as synthetic and man-made fibers.