Density and length of time to produce the rugs greatly differ and this is why there is difference in price and look between the hand woven and hand knotted rug collections.
ABOVE: Woven Rug Examples | BELOW: Knotted Rug Examples
What is the difference between woven & knotted rugs?
The popular Laine rug by Sera Helsinki - Pictured Left: woven, Pictured Right: knotted
WOVEN DETAILS: | KNOTTED DETAILS: |
Base is 1/4" H standard | Base is 3/4" H standard |
Raised Design Patterns can be up to 1" H | Raised Design Patterns can be up to 1" H |
1 Sq Meter weighs 2 KG | 1 Sq Meter weighs 5 KG |
50% cotton - 50% wool | 20% cotton - 80% wool |
End Fringe is thin cotton 5" to 6" L | End Fringe is thick cotton 6" to 7" L |
Custom sizes up to 9'8" W | Custom sizes up to 13' W |
Woven Rugs - Flat Thinner Profile
Woven rugs are produced on horizontal looms. The wool thread crosses the 100% pure cotton warps. One square meter weight about 2 kilograms and the woven rugs are thinner than knotted rugs. One six square meter woven rug takes about 2 weeks in a team of two persons.
The wool thread is taken through the cotton warps by hand, line by line. The wool thread is bitten tightly using a bitter made of steel.
In the end, the fringes are evened using scissors, and the rug is steamed to cleanse any impurities. It takes a week for a team of two people to produce a woven rug of 6 m². A woven rug of 6 m² is made of six kilograms of wool weave and six kilograms of cotton warp. The result is a beautiful flat kilim style rug that will be durable and beautiful addition to your home.
Knotted Rugs - thick plush luxurious texture
Knotted rugs are thick and luxurious. To produce one six square meter knotted rug takes about one month from a team of five persons. One square meter of knotted rug weights about 5 kilograms. The rugs are made by using a traditional Ethiopian technique.
A team of skilled weavers ties every single knot individually to create high-end designs that combine Scandinavian design with Ethiopian craftsmanship traditions. Each of our hand-knotted rugs is unique, individually crafted from order, and handmade by skilled artisans in Ethiopia. Sera Helsinki rugs are designed for inclusion and crafted with precision and care.
The making of a knotted rug begins by stretching cotton warps on the loom, running up and down. The wool thread is taken through the warps one by one by hand. The warps lie vertically on the loom, and the thread is tied around two cotton warps and cut by hand. One square meter weighs around five kilograms. The thread is bitten tightly using a tool called a bitter. Every single thread is tied around the warp and cut by hand. The knot is first shortened with a blade, and after the whole row of knots is done with scissors. After cutting and tying the warps, the rug is brushed. In the end, the threads are evened using scissors, and the rug is steamed to cleanse any impurities.
Every knotted rug is a result of months of teamwork. If one person is sighted, she can lead those that might be visually impaired. It takes one month for a team of five people to produce a knotted rug of 6 m². The knotting process is a unique technique in which thousands of knots are inserted and individually tied to a base or rug foundation.
Comments