Fred's Lecture on Carpet
|
|
History
of Rug Knotting and Kilim Weaving
Although
no one knows precisely when and where the technique of weaving first started,
there is no doubt that the weaving art, in general, started in
Just
as with a little girl's braided pony-tail where strands of the shorter and
stiffer hair stick out, the goat hair sticks out of the woven fabric, gets wet,
drops and partially cover the holes in the flat weave, thus making the tent
almost waterproof. Later on, these nomadic people felt the need to isolate
themselves from the humidity present in the earthen floors of their tents. They
then applied the very same techniques of flat weave to the making of floor
coverings and called them "Kilims.” Since this was the area of paganism,
most flat weave designs reflected stylized depictions of the worshipped symbols.
Over
a period of time, the art of weaving improved and many items useful in every
day life were woven: for example saddlebags for horses and camels that could be
used in the transportation of many types of items. The Yoruks also wove kilims
with goat hair and used them as warm blankets since the fibers were so long
just as in today's Siirt blankets. It's thought that these early blankets were
woven in imitation of actual animal pelts. Kilims were also woven as room
dividers in the tents, as well as for cradles, with the corners tied to the
overhead tent poles so that the cradle could be swung back and forth to rock
the babies to sleep. These many types of woven products improved over time with
additional uses developed on an evolutionary basis. At first the nomads, who
strictly lived in tents, stacked dried leaves and lay them in the corners of
their tents and used the soft stacks as beds. Under the weight of the sleepers,
the beds rapidly turned into dust and provided little comfort, thus causing frequent
replacement. Then in a further inspiration of using animal pelts as a model,
the nomads started to add pile to the basic flat weaves. These first pile rugs
were very supple; the nomads would simply fold and throw them on a horse's back
to be used as a sleeping bag during their long voyages.
As
we mentioned before, no one knows exactly when and where the first knotted-pile
carpets were knotted; however the oldest "surviving" pile carpet was
discovered in the grave of a Scythian prince in the Pazyryk valley of the
Techniques
of Rug and Flat weave Construction
In flat
weaving there are a number of different types of loom and weaving techniques
but for purposes herein, the various types can be categorized into two general
groups. The first grouping contains the basic flat weave technique, or
"kilim weaving.” In a kilim, the pattern is formed by passing a yarn of a
particular color over and under the vertical yarns (known as warps) for the
duration of the particular color or design motif, then the same horizontal
yarns (known as wefts) are turned on the same path (next row) along the edge of
the same colored motif. This process is continued until the individual motif is
completed. Then the next motif is started where the initial one finishes, but
the two yarn colors are not normally joined together in anyway, thus causing a slit
to appear between the two respective yarns. Each block of color is then woven
successively until the whole kilim is completed. When you hold a kilim woven in
this way up to the light, you can easily see the slits where two patterns meet
but do not join (thus the slit weave technique). The second grouping contains
flat weaves, which employ the technique of wrapping or brocading.
A
motif is created by adding a third yarn to the warp and weft yarns, which are
wrapped around the warp yarns in several configurations, depend upon whether
the intent is to weave: Cicim, Zili, or Sumak (all kilim types). In the Cicim,
the motifs are usually scattered or in series, with no organic relationship
between any two motifs, and the basic ground weave (warp and weft) shows
through so that the Cicim motifs appear to be embroidered. In the Zili, the
entire surface of the ground weave is normally covered with the design yarns
and vertical lines, somewhat like cords, protrude to give Zili its distinctive
appearance. In the Sumak, the entire surface is also normally covered with the
design yarns. All three of these techniques may be employed together in one
flat weave if desired. Each of the 4 basic types of flat-weave also has a
number of sub-groups with variations in technique (23 in all).
There
are two principal types of knots that are used in rug weaving (knotting). The
first one is called double knot, Turkish knot, or Gordes knot and naturally
given a firmer weave yielding to a stronger and more durable carpet. The second
one is known as the single knot, Persian knot, or Sennah knot; this type makes
for a far tighter carpet. These two-knot types DO NOT distinguish quality;
Turkish knot vs. Persian knot are NOT comparable; they are very different
techniques.
The
Turkish knot is a stand of yarn encircling two warp threads, with the loose
ends running tightly between the two warps creating pile. The Persian knot is a
strand of yarn that encircles one-warp thread and winds loosely around the
other warp. One loose end pulled through the two warps, while the other end
goes to the outside of the paired warps.
Rugs
and the various flat waves are made from five basic materials;
sheep wool, goat hair, cotton, floss silk, and silk.
Materials
Used in Rug and Flat Weave Weaving
Sheep
Wool:
The quality of wool varies according to the climate, the breed of sheep, and
the time of year of the shearing. Wool from sheep that live in warm and arid
regions is normally dry and brittle, and since it breaks so easily, it ends up
being short and feels lifeless. Good quality wool comes from healthy and
well-fed sheep found in cold regions or at high elevations with good grazing
lands and lots of water. In the colder regions, sheep grow a full fleece to
keep warm and their bodies store fat, which then translates to a high lanolin
content within the fiber, which reaches lengths of 10 cm. and more. The wool so
obtained feels silky smooth and yet springy. Wool from the higher elevations
and from the spring shearing is considered to be the highest quality. Wool is
hand-spun by using primitive utensils called kirmen (drop spindle) and by
spinning wheels. Women usually spin the wool during idle moments. In hand-spun
wool, the original length of the fiber stays the same through the spinning
process - a fiber that measured 7 cm. before spinning will still measure the
same after spinning. Wool can also be industrially spun, but the hard twisting
of the fibers by the spinning machines tends to break some of the fibers.
Although the broken bits and shorter fibers can be made to adhere together
through the use of oils during the spinning process, the fiber will have lost
some of its strength, which, in turn, will shorten the life span of the rugs to
be woven. (Keep in mind this shorter life means simply a generation, the carpet
will still out live YOU!)
Cotton: In rug and kilim
weaving, cotton is used mostly for the warp and weft threads, creating the base
of the carpet/kilim. Compared to wool, cotton is generally considered to be a
more resilient fiber and it's less elastic. So, tighter knots can be tied on
cotton warps as opposed to wool. If very tight knots are tied to a wool warp,
the fiber will break much more frequently than if the warps were of cotton.
Consequently, woolen pile rugs with high knotting density counts will normally
have cotton warps, for example, in Hereke, Ladik, and Kayseri Bunyan
carpets.
Goat
Hair:
Goat hair occasionally found in Oriental rugs in the side bindings (selvedge),
but is more frequently found in saddlebags, cushions, various types of stacks,
etc.
Floss
Silk:
Floss silk, or art silk as it is some times called, is actually mercerized
cotton and is used in certain rugs that are woven in
Pure
Silk:
The silk used in Turkish carpet comes from silk cocoons in Bursa. It has a very
high tensile strength and can be twisted very finely, plus it is quite
resilient. The finest silk comes from the first part of the amazingly long
single thread with witch a silk worm spins its cocoons. When unrolled, the
thread from one silk cocoon can stretch up to 25,000 meters. The best and the
finest hand-woven rugs in the world are Turkish Hereke silk rugs. A normal
quality silk Hereke should have 1,000,000 knots per square meter. Today
with tremendous care, attention and density, some exceptional Hereke silk rugs
are woven with 3,240,000 knots per square meter; that is 18 knots vertically on
1 cm. And 18 knots horizontally on 1 cm. This indicates how finely the silk can
be twisted and woven, as well as how strong and resilient this pile can be.
Dyes
Used For Rug Yarns Their Characteristics and History
The use
of vegetables, bark, roots and other natural items to make dyes has been a
well-known art for many thousands of years. This ancient practice continued
unchanged and untouched until the mid 19th century when synthetic dyes were
invented. The findings at a Chinese spring dating from about 3000 B.C. indicate
that the science of dyeing was initially developed in the
Why
are natural dyes so important? Is it because some shades of color cannot be
found in various synthetic dyes, or is it because the natural dyes are cheaper
or easier to obtain?
Actually,
it's neither of these reasons. The synthetic dye catalogues are quite thick and
rich in the kinds of dyes and shades of color that are available. But the
natural dyes come from Mother Nature's own harmony, and they reflect the preferences
of the various peoples through the years and centuries. Plus, the natural dyes
(vegetable dyes) will mellow with time, and if left under the sun, they'll
shine and radiate the most pleasing shades of color.
In
many areas it's common practice to expose naturally dyed rugs to the sun so
that the colors fade gradually and gracefully to their ultimate harmony and
beauty. But the synthetic dyes don't have this peculiarity. If the dye used is
of the chromatic type, the colors are fast to light, as well as moisture,
which, in itself, can be considered as an advantage. But if the synthetic dye
used is of a lower quality, with time the colors will fade and the various
shades will probably be dull and lifeless. We can see with our naked eyes all
the differences in dyes, understand the advantages, and disadvantages of each
type, and easily discern which ones are more harmonious and eye pleasing.
Fine
Turkish Carpets recognized for their value and beauty are made with natural
dyes obtained from plants, berries and trees. Chemical dyes are also used but
to the trained eye they do not have the beauty or luster of natural dyes. The
main natural dyes are listed below.
Dyer's
Wood (Civit Otu) Blue: From this plant dark or light blue tones are produced by
the length of time, which the plant is boiled. It is found along the edges of
fields growing wild in Central and
Madder
Red (Kok Boya): The roots of this plant are known as madder. It grows wild in
Central and
Ox-Eye
Chamomile (daisy) (Sari Papaya), Bright Yellow: During the spring, one finds this
plant all over
Walnut
Tree (Ceviz), Brown: The beautiful walnut tree can be found in the forested
country of
Pomegranate
Tree (knar), Yellow to brownish yellow and brown to black: This tree grows in the
mild regions of Western, Southwestern, and
Buckthorn (Cehri), Deep Yellow: This plant grows
only in
Spurge
(Sulligent), Yellow: This plant grows throughout
Baste
Hemp (Gence), Brilliant Yellow: This dye is not used as often as other yellow
dyes. This plant grows on the mountains of Central and
Wild
Chamomile Daisy (Beyaz Papaya), Yellow: During March, in Western and
Tree-Leaved
Sage (
Saffron
Yellow:
Another major source of dye in older carpets.
A
mordant or fixing agent prevents bleeding or running of colors thus it fixes
the color. If a chemical salt is used as mordant the dye is still called
natural. When alum is used as mordant alone with madder a pale red is obtained
because alum is a natural light salt. But if iron is used as a mordant a deep
red or burgundy is produced. The choice of mordant determines the color of dye.
Today, some people believe that there are no natural dyes because of certain
chemicals, which are used as mordants. Mordants are formed from natural
chemicals of the earth not synthetically produced, so when they are added to
natural dyes they act as a fixing agent and produced the color desired by the
weaver.
Cleaning
and Daily Care of Rugs and Kilims
Cleanliness
is the first and major step towards the preservation of a hand-made carpet and
it's the best to prevent damage. There are no hard or fast rules to stipulate
when and how often to clean a carpet since every hand-made carpet is different
and every household exposes a carpet to different amounts of wear and dirt.
There are many professional books on the care and cleaning of carpets that one
may consult if one is interested in doing a professional cleaning. However, the
following advice and information are basic general instructions that the
average homeowner may exercise in the care and cleaning of a carpet or kilim.
The best recommendation is regular brushing with an old-fashioned straw broom
with natural bristles or the use of an electric carpet sweeper. Always
sweep the face of a carpet with the pile NEVER against it. Remember that it is
just as important to brush the underlay of the carpet and floor beneath. One
caution, the regular use of a vacuum cleaner beater bar will eventually start
to loosen the knots and pull the fibers out of the pile; also NEVER use the
revolving brush attachment on a carpet for it will actually pull the fibers apart.
The upholstery attachment is the very best and may be used once a month.
Hand
Cleaning at Home
Prepare
a mixture of the following proportions; half a cup of carpet shampoo to four
and a half cups of warm water and add one tablespoon of white vinegar to
prevent the color from running. Lay the carpet with the pile up on a hard flat
surface. Dip a brush in the liquid and apply it in gentle even vertical strokes
with the pile never against. Vigorous brushing or scrubbing will not clean
thoroughly and is likely to damage the carpet in its wet vulnerable state. The
amount of shampoo applied and the pressure of the brush should be as constant
as possible over the entire carpet surface. Once the carpet is brushed
vertically (lengthwise) then brush horizontally or from side to side across the
pile, with the same gentle strokes. The pile should be thoroughly cleaned by
now. Finally, brush gently in the direction of the pile as the carpet dries, so
that the pile is lying in the right direction. The carpet pile should never be
forced against its will.
Drying
Preferably
use a room where there is a warm air current heating system. Do not drape the
carpet, it must be allowed to dry flat, and don't walk, or place anything on it
until it is completely dry. A concrete patio is great. The warp, weft and pile
of a completely dried carpet should feel soft and pliable. Remember, pile is
nothing more than ‘hair' sheep or goat or silkworm. Remove the dried dirt and
shampoo powder by gently brushing with a soft dry brush, again in the direction
of the pile.
Things
to Avoid
Washing
machines and spin dryers should NEVER be used for any delicate hand-made item.
With carpets the vibration, water temperature and harsh detergents will cause
irreparable damage; possible color-run from the hot water and the detergents
and a cement-like wool once dry. It may even reduce the carpet to shreds.
Again, dry cleaners sometimes advertise themselves as carpet cleaners; be
very careful, check them out before you give them a thousand dollar prize.
Their services may be useful for machine-made carpets, but a treasured
hand-made masterpiece should never be subjected to the strong chemicals that
these firms use. The damage may become apparent only after several months and
the damage is irreparable.
Moth
Damage
Wool
carpets and kilims are subject to moth damage. The dark areas of the carpet
should be inspected for signs of moth damage, which will result in a weakened
foundation or in the knots eventually pulling out where the nap has been eaten
away. New carpet and kilims are treated with insecticides before exportations
and ounces in a dealer's shop they are frequently moved about to avoid this
problem.
Carpet
Sizes
In the
Manufacture of carpets some words express certain sizes. These were first used
in
Yastık 60 x 90 cm
Ceyrek 90 x 135 cm.
Kisa Yolluk 70 x 200 cm.
Seccade 120 x 180 cm
Saf 110 x 230 cm.
Karyola 150 x 230 cm.
Kelle 300 x 200 cm.
Taban 6 m2 and over
The
information in this document is taken from numerous web sites on the Internet.
This is strictly a handout, not intended to be a professional education tool of
any kind. The material covered here is completely accurate but very
superficial; it takes far more than a simple reading of a few paragraphs of
information to make one a carpet expert or buyer.
The
simple key to buying carpets or kilims is this: Love the carpet/kilim &
love the price! Nothing else is all that important for the casual buyer;
anything you will purchase here will outlast you and probably your children
baring a catastrophic event. Happy hunting!
*: this material comes from a
multitude of written sources – it can be found on the internet as well. I have
over fifty carpet books and this is simply a broad overview/synopsis.
Also See:
Would you like to add your comment about this article? Click here!
Editor's Picks
Antalya Antalya, one of the most breath-taking places of Turkey, because of its spectacular location... more...
Traveling by Bus Every corner of Turkey can be reached from the bus station, or Otogar as it is called here. more...
Best of windsurf spots Recently the number of beaches providing windsurfing facilities has increased and shores are embellished with colorful surf.. more...
Anatolian Civilizations Museum The museum is located southeast of Ankara Citadel and is composed of two Ottoman Buildings. more...
Trattoria da Rosario Trattoria da Rosario is a small but special Italian restaurant hidden amongst the trees in Koşuyolu, Kadıköy. more...
Hamams in Ankara Would you like to take a bath in Karacabey Hamam of 15th century or Şengül Hamam of 18th century? more...
 |
Latest Articles |
The Guide Istanbul May/June
Akbank Sanat Guitar Days
Flying Broom Festival
Istanbul Jazz Festival
Antalya Sand Sculpture Festival
Goya: Witness of His Time
Izmir Film Festival
Istanbul Theater Festival
Salvador Dali Exhibition
