272 RUGS AND CARPETS

WOVEN PILE RUGS AND CARPETS

Velvet rugs and carpets are made by woven construction on a
rather simple loom that does not require the use of yarn under-
neath the pile, therefore the velvets are less resilient and less ex-
pensive than other woven pile rugs. Velvets come in several
qualities and in different effects, the frieze twist weave being one
of the best.

Aximnsters are made on special looms that can handle many
colors. Sometimes these rugs and carpets are too colorful and
too strongly patterned. Axminsters can be recognized for they
can not be rolled crosswise because of the stiff jute ridges on the
backs.

Wiltons are woven with the Jacquard mechanism which con-
trols colors by means of perforated cards: when one color ap-
pears on the surface all the other colors are underneath it. Most
Wiltons are now made in one color to suit the present fashion.
The best carpets and rugs generally available in the stores are the
Wiltons. They comq in a considerable variety of values, depend-
ing on the thickness of the pile.

Chenille carpets and rugs are woven on special looms. They
are most luxurious and costly and are usually made to order.
They may be plain or patterned. They constitute less than one
per cent of the total amount of carpeting produced in this coun-
try. Smyrna rugs are double faced chenille with shorter pile.

TUFTED RUGS AND CARPETS

Tufted rugs and carpets constitute a large percentage of the
floor coverings sold today. The tufting process is considerably
cheaper than weaving on a loom. In tufted rugs or carpets the
pile yarn is hooked into the backing cloth by machinery. Later
the latex solution that holds the tufts in place is applied to the
backing. As in other carpets the quality depends on the kind
of yarn used and whether the tufts are sparse or close together.
Tufted carpets do not ravel when they are cut in any direction.

Some of the terms related to floor coverings that are often mis-
understood are: broadloom, which refers only to the width of a
carpet, lockstitch, which means that the carpet will not ravel when
cut because the back has been coated with a sizing, and frieze,
which refers to any rug or carpet made of hard twisted yarn that
produces an interesting rough texture.