Integrity . . . Skill . . . Execution . . . Karma
... IN THE BEGINNING ...
On the plateaus of the Himalayas, close to the sky, the ancient Tibetan art of rug
making has been passed from one generation to the next. During the last 70
years, this craft tradition has passed from one culture to the next by virtue of
training and skilled hands of Tibetans exiled from their homeland in 1959, while
traveling thru Nepal, where the Tibetan carpet making tradition lives on.
The art of making Tibetan carpets by hand using the finest materials is honored and nurtured by
RugGuy Galleriez. Each carpet is carefully hand-knotted, the methods virtually unchanged from time
before written instruction, using traditional techniques in the
execution of contemporary design. The subtle imperfections of
natural materials and the variations of the human touch are celebrated
by RugGuy Galleriez in every stage of the process. The result of a
commitment to promote individual inspiration in all of its production.
Truly, each carpet is unique unto itself, and the Nepalese weavers
enjoy the challenge of making new designs and constructions,
allowing a little of their own spirit into the soul of each rug.
INTEGRITY OF THE WOOL
Tibetan highland sheep, semi-domestic and hardy, roam across the great Tibetan
plateau. The sheep run basically wild and because of the great height of 15,000 feet
at which they live, the wool we get from Tibet is a very strong and long staple fiber.
Unquestionably, Tibetan wool is among the finest natural fibers in the world for rug
making. It is silky yet resilient and strong, lustrous and rich with lanolin, the natural
secretion sheep give off to protect their skin which, in wool, gives it the natural
protection that 'Scotchguarding' simulates. Tibetan wool
contains myriad shades of brown and black as well as
countless variations of white. Previously brought by Yak
over the Himalayas, now by truck, unscoured and dripping with lanolin,
Tibetan wool is the untamed soul of each of these RugGuy Galleriez
carpets.
The wool is unloaded near a flowing stream from the mountain watershed
in the town of Pokhara. It is separated into light, medium and dark color groups, and vigorously
washed in the cool clear water, then lay out in the brilliant sun to dry. Soon to be loaded and carted
into the villages to be carded.
CARDING
The first step in the creation of RugGuy Galleriez’s rich yarns is called
carding. Like all of the steps used in creating their rugs, this one is
performed entirely by hand. One handful of wool is placed between two
metal-toothed paddles and gently combed until the fibers are roughly
aligned. It is a labor-intensive process that has been traditionally used to
prepare wool for spinning. While a machine could comb the wool and align
its fibers in the blink of an eye, it would break the fibers and make the
resulting yarn too uniform. By comparison, hand carding respects the
precious fibers, and the resulting yarn is very long and distinctively raw. Hand carding is a step most
manufacturers avoid because it requires massive organization and human effort as well as substantial
added expense, but RugGuy Galleriez believes that yarn quality is too important to compromise.
Starting with the best product at the beginning naturally produces superior results.
SPINNING
In homes and small village compounds RugGuy Galleriez’ workers sit at
simple, foot-powered wooden wheels carefully guiding the labor-intensive
process of spinning with a practiced hand, a steady foot and a keen eye.
The balance between wheel and hand is too delicate to yield a mechanically
uniform product. Happily, the rich, organic texture of the resulting yarn
couldn't be more beautifully imperfect for RugGuy Galleriez’ Rugs.
DYEING
Dyeing is one stage in the production process where RugGuy Galleriez
believes that the modern improves on the ancient. In keeping with the Tibetan
tradition the skeins of raw yarn are dyed in small lots by hand called ‘pot-
dyeing’. The pigments are provided by Swiss metal complex dyes. They
enable color consistency well within the acceptable range of a handmade
production. The variation of absorption in the hand spun yarn creates an effect
called ‘abrash’. Just as important, the Swiss dyes enable RugGuy Galleriez access to a far greater
range of colors than ancient rug makers ever had as they constantly evolve the palette and decorative
applications of RugGuy Galleriez Tibetan Carpets.
COLOR SELECTION & FIBERS
RugGuy Galleriez has a standardized color system called ‘color-podz’. Each
sample shows the cut (velvet) and looped execution of the wool, along with the
silk. Fibers may also be dye matched to paint chips, fabrics, or any other
inspiration. Dyemasters in Nepal have an arsenal
of dyestuffs to work from and consistently amaze
clients with their expertise.
When a match is made it is recorded in the
logbook to be used for formulating the quantity
needed for a rug. This includes a small amount of
yarn as well.
In addition to Himalayan wool, and Chinese or Indian silk, there are a variety of organic fibers
including hemp, sunpatt, nettle, jute, banana silk, and soy silk to name a few.
DESIGNING (GRAPHING) THE PATTERN
Once a design or rendering is approved, it is sent to the factory in
Kathmandu. There it is printed and studied by the artist in charge
of graphing it. A large full scale drawing is made which shows
each portion of the design, and consequently each knot location
that is to be tied. The graph is a work of art in it’s self. The
finished graph is carefully folded, wrapped in plastic, and sent to
the loom where it is hung above the weavers eyelevel for review
as the rug is being knotted. In addition a color key is supplied of
the dyed yarn, as the graph is typically painted with “wild colors’
so the weavers know where each color and texture are separated. This in particular when a tone-on-
tone design is being made.
WEAVING
RugGuy Galleriez Tibetan Carpets are woven by
hand, knot by knot. Each knot results in a single
point of color in the pile of the finished carpet. A
standard 9x12 foot RugGuy Galleriez carpet
comprises between 525,000 and 1.5 million of
these individually handtied knots. An interesting
footnote to this story of incredible craftsmanship
and patience is that the company's weavers
employ the Tibetan Loop Senneh knot. In this
technique, each knot is tied around two warp threads, then looped
around a metal rod ‘dunde’ placed horizontally across the loom. When
a given row of knots is completed, it is hammered down to the prior
row with a ‘thowa’ mallet. The row is cut with a small knife called
‘churi’. The rod freed, and the pile exposed. After locking the row
with a weft thread, it is secured with a metal ‘panja’comb. Weavers at
the loom knot row after row, creating a dense, luxurious fabric. The
weavers pull each knot tight with a different force, and must work at the same pace as the weaver next
to them. There are 3 weavers working on a 9- foot wide loom. There is no advantage to being the
fastest when weaving a fine rug.
SHEARING + FINISHING
Once the weaving is finished and the carpet is cut down from the
loom the pile is crudely leveled with large steel shears. About 18” in
length, these Tibetan scissors ['Jam-tse'] are themselves a tool that
requires some time to master. The details are trimmed with a smaller
version that are primitive yet razor sharp. Those who do the shearing
use an old Tibetan weaver's trick lining the part of the scissors where
they put their fingers with wool, so they don't get blisters. After the
pile is cut down on the carpet's surface, long pointed scissors are used
to lightly emboss between different colors in the carpet, enhancing the clarity and vitality of the
designs.
WASHING
After the weaving process is complete, each Rugguy Galleriez Carpet is finished with a
technologically advanced process that gently cleans, softens, and ages each rug, enhancing its patina
and highlighting its color. A resin finish is also applied, augmenting the wool’s natural resistance to
stain and setting the colors. Washing is a process where modern technology actually accentuates the
hand-made charm, and the lush feel of the carpet.
RugGuy Galleriez Carpets are finished with the Tibetan Wash system developed and performed by
experts in an effort to continue environmental awareness “BIO-WASH” strives to recycle precious
natural resources, and recover damaging post-wash residual waste.
RugGuy Galleriez helps promote the weavers’ welfare and their families
through the “CARE & FAIR” program.
RugGuy Galleriez is a proud partner with Goodweave. A portion of each sale is
donated directly to Goodweave, to help eradicate child labor.
RUGGUY GALLERIEZ, INC.
312.933.8321
Mark@TheRugGuy.com
www.TheRugGuy.com