Dhurries

Dhurries

A Dhurrie is made up of the weft which is woven in and out of the warp threads on a horizontal loom, creating a smooth texture which is strong and hardwearing. Vanderhurd’s weavers are amongst the most highly skilled in India.

Design

Design

Vanderhurd works closely with its clients to ensure the design is perfect for the space, discussing colour, texture, scale & durability. All four elements must work harmoniously.

Naksha

Naksha

Once a design is sent to India a naksha (full size drawing) is made by hand so the weavers have a map to follow. The shrinkage in washing must be anticipated, with the naksha accommodating this.

Dyeing

Dyeing

Vanderhurd does not hold stock of yarns, they must be dyed by hand for each order, this is a delicate art as our master dyer is committed to getting the colour exact each time.  

Warp

Warp

The warp is the foundation of the dhurrie, the density must be evenly strung with perfect tension for the weavers to get the design right and for the final piece to lay flat.

Weaving

Weaving

Weavers lift half of the warp at one time to start weaving the weft across, unlike fabric weaving, the weft yarn does not have to go across the whole width but can change throughout to allow various colours to sit side by side.

Washing

Washing

Each dhurrie is washed after weaving, they are saturated in water and wooden paddles are used to push the water out, this must be repeated various times.

Finishing

Finishing

Finishing is one of the most time-consuming elements. The dhurrie must be stretched on a frame to dry, then be hand bound and finally all the loose threads are clipped.