Lee Jofa Carpet World of Hand Knotted Kensington

World of Hand Knotted KENSINGTON COLLECTION

KENSINGTON COLLECTION

Hand Knotted in Pakistan, 100% Wool. On the loom in 4x6 6x9 8x10 9x12 10x14 12x15. Leadtime will vary from in stock to 28 weeks depending on size and stage of production.

Large vats or pots of boiling water are pigmented with naturally derived ingredients, no synthetic pigments are used in this time honored dyeing process. The yarn sits in the dyes at a lower temperate for a longer period of time, allowing for deep saturation into the fiber while protecting the integrity of the wool from breakage and maintaining the desired higher lanolin content.

The beginning of any fine rug is the source of materials. Sheep are sheared to harvest their fleece which is thoroughly cleansed and washed completely. Gentle wool cleansers are used in order to maintain the integrity of the fibers. It is then separated and carded to prepare for spinning. The raw wool fibers are handspun into long strands of wool yarn in preparation for dying.

After the wool yarn bundles are dyed they are placed in the sun on drying racks. These bundles can remain on the drying racks anywhere from one to three days, depending on the time of year and the current weather conditions. They are turned and flipped numerous times during the process to maintain even dryness and color.

Our designing process is a time honored art. Master artisans create pattern inspired by European traditional elements as well as more tansitional influences. Each design is hand drawn onto graph paper to be certain all elements of the overall rug are to the appropriate size and scale.

Each rug undergoes a lengthy process of cleaning and washing. First washing with clear water and a gentle scrub. Next, a very mild wool cleanser is added and the rug is cleaned with long handled brushes, rinsed with clean water and then extracting as much water as possible by hand before hanging to dry. It is placed in the sun being turned and flipped repeatedly for thorough drying.The same washing process is completed up to two more times, taking several days from start to finish. No machinery or heaters are ever used in washing or drying so much of the time depends on the weather conditions.

For the hand knotting process, a warp, made of thin woolen threads, is placed and set on a loom in the appropriate size for each rug. This foundation acts as the graph paper used in creating the design map. Each hand knot is tied to the woolen threads as shown on the map. This continuous knotting is how the fully finished rug is completed.

Once the rug is completely dry, finishing stages can be completed. Our craftsman will hand shear any uneven piles, trimming small fibers with scissors, straightening and binding the edges. Upon inspection, final touches may be needed to enhance colors, which are then hand painted before heading for a last wash and dry.