Design for Wilton Carpet

Wilton carpets were one of the five types of machine-woven carpets sold by the firm. Unlike the Hammersmith rugs, these carpets were manufactured for Morris & Co. by the Wilton Royal Carpet Factory in Wiltshire. They were woven on mechanical looms with jacquard attachments (a series of punched cards that raised and lowered the warp threads), which allowed a range of up to six colors for the design. The foundation was usually made of jute, linen, or cotton, and the surface was formed of tightly packed collections of looped warp threads that were cut to give the carpets a more velvety texture. This particular design is an example of Dearle's affinity for more formal and stylized designs in comparison with the organic patterns of Morris.