Asmara’s String Quartet

Great works of art such as a painting or a poem, are created by one person.

But creating an Asmara rug is more akin to a well-rehearsed string quartet. Each musician enters on time, always plays the music in harmony with the others, searching for the perfect balance of melody to create the whole.

The first section is a duet
At Asmara, the first section is a duet: the artist, and me. Inspiration comes from any place, any time. Perhaps by something I saw during a walk in the woods, or something the artist remembers from a trip to Florence. Often, the inspiration can’t be pin-pointed, and an idea seems to spring to mind like magic.

We discuss the possibilities, and if it develops well, the artist makes rough pencil sketches. Then we study the sketches together; they are usually re-worked until the nuances of design are just right. Colors are considered and the artist paints several color studies. When we are satisfied with the result, the artist makes a full painting.

After the painting is finished, it may undergo several transformations, or may be dropped entirely. If it survives, the completed rendering is sent to Asmara’s sample-making workshop.

The next two players enter
Now the next two players enter and complete the quartet. The weaving-artist makes a loom drawing, translating the painting into check paper.

The dye-master compares the paint in the rendering with colored yarns in our thousand shade color library, or dyes the colors as needed, his practiced eye making the perfect choices.

A small section of the design is hand woven on a sample-making loom to test the interaction of the colors with the texture of the rug weave. The color of a hank of yarn looks different when it is woven in a particular rug weave. The exact way the color will change cannot always be predicted precisely. If the result is not pleasing, the yarn color is adjusted and the sample is re-woven.

Sometimes the weavers will even try another type of wool or a different ply of yarn. If this is still not satisfactory, a different type of weave may be tried, or the fineness of the weave reconsidered.

Note: The above changes do not apply when we are producing a custom rug to a client’s specifications.

When only a Stradivarius will do
Just as musicians need a good instrument, great rugs require great wool.

I travel across the world searching for rare types of wool.

The best wool for great pile rugs comes from ancient breeds of sheep that live in remote areas untouched by modern cross-breeding practices.

Today most carpet wool comes from New Zealand where the sheep have been cross bred to do double duty as meat and wool producers with the inevitable result that wool quality is not suitable for making great pile rugs.

While this wool is fine for needlepoint, Aubusson and Savonile rugs, Asmara relies exclusively on the wool from ancient breeds for its pile rugs.

There are no short cuts to creating great art.
Asmara chooses all the players and the instruments thoughtfully.

Harmonizing all the elements is the only way great rugs can be created.

Great classical musicians also excel in Jazz and Rock.
If your taste does not run to the classics, remember, the fundamentals of music remain the same for a string quartet or a rock band.

The fundamentals of art remain the same as well, whether your taste runs to a Savonnerie with a thousand subtle shades, or a minimalist avant-garde design with three knock-‘em-dead colors.

The quality of art embodied in each Asmara rug, whether it is a contemporary improvisation or a classical composition, will endure and stand the test of time.  

M. Abid Ilahi
Founder, President,
Asmara, Inc.