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Weaving
looms vary considerably in size and sophistication but the
basic principals remain unchanged. A secure frame is
required to which the wrap strands are tied. it is either
fixed or adjustable.
On
adjustable looms, the vertical beams are fixed but one or
both of the horizontal beams that hold the warp strands in
place can be moved up or down the frame.
The loom
is a crucial factor in the structural quality of the carpet.
The
carpets are generally divided into two types: Horizontal
looms (flat); Vertical looms (upright).
Horizontal looms
As the
name suggest these are used exclusively by nomad weavers.
The fact that the loom is horizontal means the weavers have
to do much of their weaving from the sides, which becomes
very difficult if the rug is too wide. Thus the nomadic rugs
tend to be small, narrow and long. Despite the limitation of
the nomadic loom. It is perfectly suited to the nomad’s way
of life, being easy to assemble and take down, and not too
large or too heavy to be carries by donkey or mule.
Vertical looms
These
looms can only be used in cities and villages. The structure
of these, to some extent, is more complicated than that of
the horizontal ones.
The design
and the measurement of the carpets woven on these looms are
more precise than those woven on horizontal looms.
The
different forms of the vertical looms are as follows: One
kind has the shape of a frame and is composed of two wooden
horizontal beams joined from both upper and lower sides and
two other beams connected vertically which run across the
horizontal beams.
The warp
is stretched between the two horizontal beams. The village
loom, which is rather more upright than horizontal, is
almost primitive and resembles the nomad loom a lot. The
weaver sits on a plank facing the loom and as the weaving
advances, the plank is gradually raised higher.
In this
kind of loom, the length of the carpet is usually shorter
than the length of the loom.
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