The Tibetan loom uses a rod technique unique to the region. The yarn is looped around a horizontal rod across the warp, then cut to release the pile in a single pass. The result is a softer, more open knot than the Persian asymmetric, suited to the high-twist Himalayan wool that does not take a tight knot well. The technique has been carried into India by the diaspora and refined for contemporary work. The rug under consideration here carries that lineage forward.

The loom carried 2 weavers for 4 months of continuous work. Each row of knots was pressed with a steel comb, the pile sheared row by row to keep the surface flat. The cotton foundation was warped under tension calculated so the rug lays flat without curling at the edges. The rug is offered in an ivory register, made in India.

The composition

The ground reads ivory. The motifs sit in measured intervals across the field, with the border holding the composition rather than competing with it. The wool will lighten in the high-light areas over the next decade and the dyes will deepen in the protected zones, the pattern of slow change every plant-dyed pile carries. The corners will not match exactly, which is the proof that a person rather than a printer made the surface. Pairs well with linen, leather, walnut, and oak. Pairs less well with strongly patterned upholstery, where the rug expects to be the dominant graphic element in the room.

The piece in a room

At the format here the rug suits a study, a smaller drawing room, or a primary bedroom. The composition pairs with mid-tone walls and warm wood furniture, and rises against off-white walls as a fielded ground. The size also works as the entry rug for a longer hall, with the pattern reading as one walks across it.

Conservation

Rotate end-for-end every six months so the foot traffic and the sunlight age the field evenly. Vacuum weekly on the lowest setting with the beater off. Address spills immediately with a clean white cotton cloth and cool water. Schedule a hand-wash with a textile conservator every five years. The rug is built to outlive several rooms. Direct sunlight on the field is acceptable and even helpful, since UV restores the dye depth that filtered indoor light slowly dulls.

Reference

• Medium: hand-knotted jute, sisal and wool on cotton foundation
• Dimensions: size as listed above
• Construction: Persian asymmetric knot
• Knot density: ~80 KPSI
• Total knot count: ~552,960
• Hands: 2 weavers, 4 months
• Pile: 8-10 mm hand-spun wool
• Origin: India

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