Carpet Weaving - Sikkim
Originally the process starts preparation of wool involving carding, dyeing and balling. But these days wool is bought directly from the market to be used for weaving. The process therefore starts from winding the yarn into balls. The weaving starts from a basic cotton warp which serves as the skeleton. The yarn is then loomed using a weaving rod from one end to other creating a pile of rug. The pile is then hammered tight against the previous one. The rod is then removed, the thread cut and again the row is beaten down to the previous one. The process is repeated following the design of the carpet.
After the weave is done the carpet is taken off the loom for trimming. Unnecessary fibres are removed and knots at the back are cut for a finer finish. A long scissor is used to giver greater detail to design carving out some portions to result in a 3D look. With the help of machine the final surface is made smooth and cleaned with a brush.
