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

Carpets And Rugs

Figure 54, Plate III, shows the various stages in the process of making the fur. The cloth is woven as shown in A, it is then cut into strips as in B, and folded as in C.

Weaving Chenille Carpet

The carpet itself is made up of a fabric or back composed mostly of yarn made from cattle hair. There is one type of Chenille made with a linen or cotton back as shown in Figure 66. Upon the backing the Chenille fur is laced by means of linen or cotton warp threads. The process of inserting fur is practically a hand operation. The fur is drawn through the shed by mechanical means, but it must be positioned by the weavers so as to develop the pattern. Once in position it is combed up and beaten home by a hand-tool that is similar to the comb used by the Oriental weavers. The weaving process then continues forming up the back and lacing down the strip of fur, after which another strip of fur is inserted and so on.

On account of the fact that the face of the carpet is determined by the weaver laying a strip of fur in any desired position, it is possible to weave Chenille carpets in very great widths. In fact, the standard widths run up to 30 feet and more. Another advantage is the ability to weave irregular shapes, such as oval, L-shaped or of the exact shape to correspond to any given room. When making odd-shaped pieces the body of the carpet is woven rectangular, but the Chenille is laid on to correspond with the pattern. After wards the body is cut to conform to the face of the rug and bound under, so that it will not unravel.