Namda (Felted Wool)

A
namdha is a felted wool carpet. Much cheaper than the other woolen carpets,
they are warm and stylish. In India it is said that a person named Nubi
created the first namda to protect emperor Akbar's horse from cold. That
namda was very intricately decorated and thus impressed the emperor. The
craft of Namda making is followed in very limited areas in Kashmir, Himachal
Pradesh and parts of Rajasthan. They can be termed as woolen druggets. The
craft is said to have originated in Iran and Turkey. Apart from the carpets
different other things like clothing, caps and hats etc. may be formed of
the namda. The quality is that all the namda products are seamless.
Material
The material used is different types of wools. Camel and goat wool is
commonly used in Rajasthan and sheep and goat wool as used in Kashmir. The
finer the wool the better the Namda. Jute or hessian may be requires as a
base cloth. In Kashmir mats are used as base and jute or sack cloth in
Rajasthan.
Process
- To form a namda raw wool is first cleaned of the impurities.
- Wool is mixed with some quantities of cotton.
- It is then evenly spread on a mat or jute cloth.
- It is continually moistened with a special solution.
- The wool is pressed into felt by beating, treading or applying
pressure.
- Patterns are created using embroidery or applique work.
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