The rugs you see here are quite extraordinary. They are handwoven and tied - 100 knots per square inch - by people of Kathmandu, Nepal, to whom this is a serious source of livelihood.

The wool is hand sheared, hand carded and hand spun, and then handwoven and tied. It is from a breed of high altitude Tibetan sheep. It is much prized for its very long fibers and their luxurious quality, deriving from the abundance of lanolin in the coats of the animals at such high altitude. Time was when these sheep were found only in the wild, but today, they are raised in herds. Furthermore, in order to protect this "cottage" industry, the government of Nepal permits no use of machinery.

Shown are rugs of more traditional designs, which can be ordered in several sizes. Sometimes, if the design calls for a change of texture or height of fibers in some part of the design, silk is woven into the pattern.

You can make your own design. You can have your own Opera House on a rug, or your own house, or your much-loved antique or not-so-antique car, or a lovely scene of the blueberry barrens of Maine when they look like a patchwork quilt covering the land with reds from orange through maroon, and the lichen-covered rocks punctuating them.

Watch a video of how the rugs are made Note: Please call for additional shipping rates.

Watch a video of how the rugs are made