Handgeknüpfte Teppiche aus Indien - Hand Knotted Carpets from India

Die Teppichproduktion wurde vermutlich im 16. Jahrhundert vom Großmogul Akbar (1556-1605) in Indien eingeführt. In seinem Palast fertigten persische Teppichknüpfer die ersten indischen Teppiche mit persischen Mustern aus feinster Schafwolle und Seide. Einige Zeugnisse gibt es auch schon seit dem 11/ 12. Jahrhundert. Nach der Selbständigkeit Indiens im Jahre 1947 nahm die Teppichproduktion einen neuen Aufschwung. Die meisten Teppichknüpfer flüchteten zwar nach Pakistan, jedoch wurden in Indien schnell eigene Nachwuchskräfte ausgebildet. Indien ist heute ein großes Exportland handgeknüpfter Teppiche unterschiedlicher Qualität.

Akbar, a Mogul emperor, is accredited to introducing the art of carpet weaving to India in 16. century, during his reign.  Some The Mughal emperors patronized Persian carpets for their royal courts and palaces. During this period, he brought Persian craftsmen from their homeland and established them in India. Initially, the carpets woven showed the classic Persian style of fine knotting. Gradually it blended with Indian art. Thus the carpets produced became typical of the Indian origin and gradually the industry began to diversify and spread all over the subcontinent.

The handmade quality of a carpet truly engages our spirit ,our feelings and emotions. Carpets and rugs have always been an indispensable part of Indian culture.

Bei meinem Besuch von Channi Carpets in Jaipur, Rajasthan habe ich die vielen erforderlichen Schritte erklärt bekommen, die notwendig sind, um einen handgemachten Teppich von hoher Qualität zu produzieren.

The weaving of a rug (pile) is an extremely difficult and enduring process. Every single dot or element on the rug has to be knotted individually. 

The technique of the "knots", as we presently know it , is the fruit of a very long evolution. 600.000 Knoten/ per qm are necessary for a silk carpet. 280.000 single knots per qm for a wool carpet. 8.000- 10.000 knots a good worker gets done per day.

here the in house carpet washing area at Channi Carpets 

After the carpet is completed and removed from the loom, it is washed to remove dirt and to restore the original shine of the wool. Washing is also performed manually. Channi Carpets is one of the only manufacturer who has an environment friendly wastewater treatment at their Kakani Washing Plant.

taking out the little mistakes

The finishing touches to a carpet include a process of stretching of the carpet from all sides to maintain the shape of the rug. Lastly, the carpets are trimmed manually to achieve the right pile height with specially designed scissors.

Clipping the carpet to get the designs look nice.

After washing the pattern gets mixed up and has to be separated again.

Knotting the frills. After that all the frills are cut even. Also the sides of the carpet need a finish binding.

Auch heute werden häufig noch klassische persische und chinesische Muster verwendet.

The colors used in  a carpets and cotton rugs are more subtle. Vegetable dyes are used for coloring the yarn. All shades of red, green, yellow, blue are used predominantly. The yarns used in these carpets are either silk or wool or a combination of the two. Many of these carpets are also cotton carpets. Herbs are used to make the carpets look antique, such as henna, curcuma and tea water. 
More info you will find here: www.channicarpets.com

Business Talk: The Art of Block Printing in India - Das Indische Traditionshandwerk des "Block Printings"

Block printing is a form of dying and coloring a fabric using wooden blocks. India is one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of block printed fabric in the world. Block printing craftsmen use wooden or metal blocks to create beautiful designs. Hand block printing is a craft that is handed down through generations. Just now it is in the forefront of the fashion scene today and the ancient craft has seen a major revival over the last two decades.

Das traditionelle, indische "Block-Printing" ist eine Drucktechnik, bei der verschiedenste Motive mit geschnitzte Holzplatten oder -blöcken auf Textilien gedruckt werden. Indien ist einer der größten Hersteller und Exporteure weltweit von solchen handbedruckten bedruckten Textilien. Mittels mehrere Holz- oder auch Metallblöcke werden die Designs, auch mehrfarbig in Handarbeit hergestellt. "Block-Printig" ist ein Handwerk, das von Generation zu Generation weitergegeben wird. Momentan genießt diese Drucktechnik weltweit wieder große Begeisterung und das alte Handwerk hat in den letzten Jahren einen großen Aufschwung erlebt.

Block printing craftsmen use wooden or metal blocks to create beautiful designs.

India has been renowned for its printed and dyed cotton cloth since the 12th century and the creative processes flourished as the fabric received royal patronage. Though the earliest records mention the printing centers in the south, the craft seems to have been prevalent all over India. From Gujarat, the art of block printing spread to Rajasthan. Here colorful prints of birds, animals, human figures, gods and goddesses are popular. 

My daughter attended a block printing workshop at Channi  Carpets &Textiles in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

The fabric to be printed is first washed free of starch. If tie-dyeing is required, this is done before the printing process. Incase fabric is dyed, it is washed thereafter, to remove excess color. It is dried in the sun. Then the fabric is then stretched over the printing table and secured with pins. See very first picture above.

Color is mixed separately and kept ready. So are the blocks. The blocks are made of teak wood and hand-carved. They are soaked in oil for 10-15 days to soften the timber.

The color are made of special natural pigments and each is kept in a tray which rests on another tray that contains a liquid made of glue and pigment binder. This gives the color a soft base and permits even spreading of color on the block.

When printing begins, the color is first evened out in the tray. Then the block is dipped in the outline color.

When the block is applied to the fabric, it is slammed hard with the fist on the back of the handle so that a good impression may register. 



A point on the block serves as a guide for the repeat impression, so that the whole effect is continuous and not disjoined. The outline printer is usually an expert because he is the one who leads the process.

Once the fabric is printed, it is dried in the sun. It is then rolled in newspaper to prevent the fabric layers from sticking to each other. The fabric is then steamed.
Thereafter, it is washed in water and dried in the sun. Ironing is the last stage.

It is only after the fabric is processed with an acid wash that the final color is established.

Block printing has become so popular again because the simple process can create such sensational prints in rich and vibrant colors.

blocks for a multiple color design

If it is a multiple color design the second printer dips his block in color again using the point or guide for a perfect registration to fill in the color. The third color if existent follows likewise. Skill is necessary for good printing since the colors need to dovetail into the design to make it a composite whole. A single color design can be executed faster, a double color takes more time and multiple color design would mean additional labor and more color consumption.

Thanks again  to Channi Carpets & Textiles for this wonderful workshop!

www.channicarpets.com