The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

Carpets And Rugs

In this structure we have three shots of weft per wire. This structure also gives a stronger foundation for the carpet, on account of the extra weft threads on the bottom. Figure 44, Plate II, shows another arrangement of three shots of weft per wire in which each loop is bound at two points. This method gives a much better grip on the pile loops and holds them more firmly in place. Figure 45, Plate II, in which there are shown four shots of weft per wire is best, because it gives a stiffer bottom and at the same time holds the pile loops at two points for each loop.

The best quality Velvet is woven with nine wires. However, most Velvet is seven and eight wires and even goes as low as six wires.

Under Tapestry Brussels it is mentioned that carpets of this type are sometimes woven in neutral tones, and the design printed on the surface of the completed fabric. The bottom of each loop is white; whereas the top surface is colored. The Velvets printed in this way are even less satisfactory than Tapestries, because the tendency to clot is greater.

Axminster

Axminster, Bometimee called Moquette, is closely related to the Oriental, because it permits the use of an unlimited number of colors in the design and is woven according to a system that closely approximates the Oriental system. Machine-made Axminster carpet was developed in the United States. It involves the use of very highly organized machines which do the work of human fingers, by looping each individual tuft of wool into the body of the fabric.

There are two distinct types of Axminster carpet, namely: the narrow width which is sewn together to make rugs and carpets, and the seamless which is woven full width. The narrow width goods is by far the most common.

The usual method of weaving the narrow goods is to employ a loom equipped with a series of spools on which the woolen yarn for the pile has been wound. The length of the spools equals the width of the carpet, and from each spool is taken in proper order the necessary wool for one row of pile.

These spools are prepared by setting up bobbins in a frame similar to that used in a Brussels or Wilton loom. The girls who wind these spools are given a horizontal strip from the pattern (see 86 Axminster 87 Figure 21, Plate 1), for each spool, and they set up the pattern by drawing woolen threads from the Frame and setting them in the order indicated by the pattern.