The weaving is all produced on upright looms with one to ten people working on a carpet at the same time. The weavers work from graphs produced in the factory.

Weavers working on a carpet

Another view of weavers working

Weavers working

'Bush pools with fish' being woven

As my designs are rather more complicated I produce the graphs myself in London and then take them out to the weavers. The reason for this is, at the graphing stage the designs have to be translated onto distorted graph paper, which allows for the slight distortion that takes place in the weaving process. In translating the designs, modifications and changes to lines have to be made. Every mark in one of my designs is important and it is at the graphing stage many decisions about these are taken. Right from the start of working in Nepal I have always insisted on graphing out my own designs.

Drawing of Graph

Graph for 'Four Sisters'

Most of the graphs the weavers normally work from are quite simple. At the beginning of this working partnership, because my designs were so complex only the most experienced weavers were given my designs to weave!

Working on a graph in Nepal