The WOOL Book One | Page 45

Woven
A Wilton construction uses continuous yarn that comes to the surface in loops ; these can be cut for a velvet or twist finish , uncut for a loop pile or have a combination of both to create textured designs . In an Axminster construction , each tuft of carpet is cut and woven into the backing material a row at a time , which gives the opportunity to create intricate designs using multiple colours .
Flatweave
This type of carpet looks more like a heavy-weight textile fabric . Flatweaves have no secondary backing , so in theory are reversible . Flatweave is often used to make runners in striking stripes , or textural neutral carpets .
Loop Pile
Loops can be left intact , or cut to create striking textural effects . Equal or level loops give a highly flexible and durable carpet ; multi-level loops create a more natural , casual appearance .
Woven ( Brintons ) Flatweave ( Roger Oates ) Loop pile ( Robertex )
Handmade Rugs .
There is a real difference between hand knotted and hand tufted rugs .
The quality of a hand-knotted carpet is determined by the number of knots per square inch ; a higher density means better quality . A complex pattern can require very dense knotting and can take a long time to produce .
A hand-tufted rug is made by punching strands of wool into a canvas which is stretched on a frame . This process is not very time intensive , and does not require the same level of skill that hand-knotting does . Once complete , the rug is removed from the frame and a secondary fabric is glued to the back .
Art house rug in British wool from Rude Rugs .
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