This knot is one that is used for making pile rugs. It can also be used for texture and decoration.
Usually, a few strands of wool yarn are used together if you want to make pile as in rugs. Yarn or thread of any color or texture can be used if textures are desired. Use single strands or multiples to achieve the look you want.
Start with some rows of plain weave.
The shed is closed.
Cut the yarn in short pieces in your desired color(s)—approximately twice the length you want your pile to be plus a little extra. You want to cut them long enough, so it isn’t difficult to make the knots. You might cut the pile shorter after it is on the warp and waste some yarn, but it is well worth it so you can make many knots quickly. Experiment with different lengths (and different numbers of strands to use together) to determine what works best for you.
Step 1: Lay a length of one pile yarn (or group of yarns) over 2 warp threads as shown in the illustration.
Step 2: Wrap the ends of the yarn around the 2 threads and bring them back up between the warp threads as shown.
Step 3: Pull on the tails gently to tighten the knot and slide it down snuggly against the previous row of plain weaving.
Step 4: Continue making knots around pairs of warp threads across the warp or where desired.
Don’t worry if the pile yarns aren’t all equal in length or are too long because you will probably trim them later.
Step 5: Weave two rows of plain weave between rows of knots. This action is important because if you don’t, you won’t have any cloth, just vertical rows of pile knots that will be separate from each other. It’s the plain weave between the rows that integrates the knots into the cloth. The pile usually is long enough so these rows are hidden.
Step 6: Trim the pile to the length desired and for a tidier look.
Notes
This is how many pile carpets are woven. If you look carefully between the rows of pile you can see the plain weave rows. You can also tell where the weaver began and ended a carpet. Because of the way you slide the knots down snuggly in step 3, the pile lies in one direction. Pet the carpet as you would pet a cat. If it’s the smooth direction, you are petting the carpet from the end toward the beginning.
If you think you’d like to make a real pile rug, consult books especially written for making rugs.
Also, there are special scissors available for cutting the pile evenly. Most pile rugs have designs in them made by using different colors for the knots. Geometric designs are easy to make using this technique. For more detailed designs, you would need a very fine scale with thin threads and hundreds of knots per square inch.