Rug-weaving is a complicated and time-consuming process that often takes many artisans to complete. Typically, men do the most labor intensive part of the rolling the rugs, while women wash, sort, tint and begin to design a wool outline on a reed mat. Once the outline is completely laid out, the outline is filled in with wool, sprayed with hot water and rolled up inside the natural mat as tightly as possible and tied with a rope.
The roll is rolled back and forth between two people for several hours, causing it to tighten even further. Finally, when the rug has been rolled as tightly as possible, its unrolled and laid out in the sun to dry. After the rug has dried, the woman trim and stitch and sew the edges of the final piece. TWARA employs ten families that work together to weave contemporary decor inspired by ancient history.
Process of Felt Carpet Making
1. Dyeing the Wool w/ Natural Plant-Based Colors
2. Fluffing the Wool
3. Creating the Design
4. Add Bottom Layer to Carpet
5. Add Hot Water
6. Roll Carpet in Grass Mat
7. Roll Carpet w/ Arms
8. Dry Carpet
9. Hem Carpet
Caring for your rug
Wool is stain-resistant and non-absorbent by nature, which makes cleaning easy. Just shake, sweep or vacuum your rug free of dirt. If you vacuum, make sure not to use a setting with a beater bar. If your rug requires a deeper cleaning, dampen the affected area then spot clean with a mild non-bleach soap. Rinse the area thoroughly and remove excess water, then lay the rug flat to dry. Don't put your new rug in the washing machine!
