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Carpets And Rugs

Chenille

Chenille, sonietiines called "Chenille Axminster," is woven according to a system quite dif ferent from all others. It is a two-stage process.

The first stage of the process consists in weaving a cloth known as Chenille. In this process the shuttles carry the wool and only one color is woven at a time. Therefore, any number of colors may be used. The warp is spaced in groups at intervals which determine the length of the pile in the finished carpet. Tn weaving, this warp is laced in such a way that it is held together in a bunch, and a pull produced from one side which tends to curve in straight rows as shown in Figure 54, Plate III. The pattern is developed by weaving the colors in proper sequence in the Chenille cloth, a sample of which is shown in Figure 55.

Weaving Cloth

The weaver of the cloth is provided with a horizontal strip from the pattern paper (see Figure 21, Plate I), on which is indicated the color of thread for each shot of weft. She has at hand shuttles with as many different colors of yarn as will be required, so that she can throw in the proper color for each shot as indicated by her pattern paper.

The cloth is next inserted info a machine where it is cut into strips mid-way between the rows of warp. As it comes from the cutters it is subjected to steam and then it passes into deep grooves of a heated iron roll, which fold it tightly together, the heat sets it and it remains as shown in Figure 58. These strips are called "fur" and are now ready for use in the carpet weaving machines.