I've found only two sources for high quality arraiolos materials - both of them in Portugal.
If anyone out there knows of other places to find provisions or if you've used either of the shops listed below, please post a comment for the greater good!
Rug Bases
My early research found that it became too expensive to import evenweave jute (given the declining demand) in the last decade or so...consequently, a quality rug base is nearly impossible to find in the U.S.
If you want to just "try out" the technique, I recommend a 10-gauge needlepoint mesh (you should be able to find this for a couple of dollars a square yard at craft stores). Note: this is not the same as cross-stitch fabric - that's not a strong enough base. Use masking tape on the edges - it scratches! It will be very stiff at first and you risk tearing if you pull the yarn through too tightly.
Yarns
The wool yarn that is sourced here in the U.S. is for different purposes and is therefore a different weight than what is needed for an arraiolos rug. If you're desperate, you can try Paternayan 3-ply (4-ply if you can find it), but you'll see from Pat Stone's book that it's much lighter yarn.
If you're just trying it out, pick a quality wool yarn - acrylic and cotton yarns have too much give and you will have trouble working with an even tension.
Patterns
Pat Stone's book has a number of patterns included, but they don't offer color suggestions. You can also buy just the magazines from the two Portuguese providers at about 3 Euros each. If you scour the Serranofil site, you might find some free downloadable pattern - usually for the modern designs that I don't find particularly interesting, but they could make a good starting place.
Patterns come with the kits you order. I often order a number of magazines with every order so I can decide whether or not I really like a pattern that is shown on one of the websites before investing in a kit.
I've also found patterns in other needlework magazines that could be adapted to the arraiolos technique, but I don't have any surefire techniques for figuring out how much of each color of yarn you'll need to work the pattern...so I stick with the kits.
Kits
Rosarios 4
www.Rosarios4.com
HINT: select English, then look under products for Magazines - they can make a kit out of any pattern
I've used Rosarios for just one pattern so far and have been very impressed. Unlike Serranofil, they have:
Serranofil
http://serranofil.pt/
I used Serranofil for my first several projects. I generally like their patterns better, but their service has some serious issues. To their credit, I usually correspond with Senor Serrano himself...but my emails often go weeks without an answer, my yarn has been shorted in half of my orders and they have ignored my requests for more yarn. Often the yarn arrives unlabelled and in tangled knots. I had to get a money order to Serranofil because they didn't have a way to accept credit cards and it usually took 2 months for an order to arrive (compared to 3 weeks with Rosarios 4).
A tip: if you're sold on a Serranofil pattern, you can order it through Rosarios (which gets you most of the benefits listed above); just know that Serrnofil will ultimately source the order, so be wary!
LindenTea Yarn Store
http://www.lindentea.eu/default.aspx
Thanks, readers, for this suggestion. The site is well organized with an English language translation included. Kits are available through the website, as are rug foundations, accessories, and pattern magazines.
If anyone out there knows of other places to find provisions or if you've used either of the shops listed below, please post a comment for the greater good!
Rug Bases
My early research found that it became too expensive to import evenweave jute (given the declining demand) in the last decade or so...consequently, a quality rug base is nearly impossible to find in the U.S.
If you want to just "try out" the technique, I recommend a 10-gauge needlepoint mesh (you should be able to find this for a couple of dollars a square yard at craft stores). Note: this is not the same as cross-stitch fabric - that's not a strong enough base. Use masking tape on the edges - it scratches! It will be very stiff at first and you risk tearing if you pull the yarn through too tightly.
Yarns
The wool yarn that is sourced here in the U.S. is for different purposes and is therefore a different weight than what is needed for an arraiolos rug. If you're desperate, you can try Paternayan 3-ply (4-ply if you can find it), but you'll see from Pat Stone's book that it's much lighter yarn.
If you're just trying it out, pick a quality wool yarn - acrylic and cotton yarns have too much give and you will have trouble working with an even tension.
Patterns
Pat Stone's book has a number of patterns included, but they don't offer color suggestions. You can also buy just the magazines from the two Portuguese providers at about 3 Euros each. If you scour the Serranofil site, you might find some free downloadable pattern - usually for the modern designs that I don't find particularly interesting, but they could make a good starting place.
Patterns come with the kits you order. I often order a number of magazines with every order so I can decide whether or not I really like a pattern that is shown on one of the websites before investing in a kit.
I've also found patterns in other needlework magazines that could be adapted to the arraiolos technique, but I don't have any surefire techniques for figuring out how much of each color of yarn you'll need to work the pattern...so I stick with the kits.
Kits
Rosarios 4
www.Rosarios4.com
HINT: select English, then look under products for Magazines - they can make a kit out of any pattern
I've used Rosarios for just one pattern so far and have been very impressed. Unlike Serranofil, they have:
- an English translation of their website
- an English-speaking representative who answers emails promptly and thorougly
- a way to charge credit cards using Paypal
- orders are fulfilled promptly
- the Rosarios patterns list the amount of each color of yarn required to work the rug (in oz) so you can verify that you received everything you need *prior* to starting your work
- comes with everything you need for the finished project - including twine and fringe for finishing the project - in a convenient carrying case.
- prices are comparable to Serranofil
Serranofil
http://serranofil.pt/
I used Serranofil for my first several projects. I generally like their patterns better, but their service has some serious issues. To their credit, I usually correspond with Senor Serrano himself...but my emails often go weeks without an answer, my yarn has been shorted in half of my orders and they have ignored my requests for more yarn. Often the yarn arrives unlabelled and in tangled knots. I had to get a money order to Serranofil because they didn't have a way to accept credit cards and it usually took 2 months for an order to arrive (compared to 3 weeks with Rosarios 4).
A tip: if you're sold on a Serranofil pattern, you can order it through Rosarios (which gets you most of the benefits listed above); just know that Serrnofil will ultimately source the order, so be wary!
LindenTea Yarn Store
http://www.lindentea.eu/default.aspx
Thanks, readers, for this suggestion. The site is well organized with an English language translation included. Kits are available through the website, as are rug foundations, accessories, and pattern magazines.
Delighted to find you since I have just been browsing the Serranofil site. I gave up even though there is a kit I would like to buy!
ReplyDeleteThe craft is addictive!
I have made a very large rug copied from one in a Portuguese house. Will do a better job this time on the travelling stitch!
Why don't Serranofil translate their site into English?
Dear anonymous - would love to see a photo of the rug you've made - and if you'd be willing to contribute the pattern, I'll make a place for it on this site.
DeleteMy take on Serranofil is that they're a small family house and haven't made the transition to a global market. I think they tried and gave up when they weren't successful. Again, just my take based on the service I've received over the past 7 years.
Have you tried Brazilian yarn such as TAPECEBEM (from Circulo company) or PARATAPET (from Pingouin)? The latter is the best ever. As for online shops, http://www.aslan.com.br/ and Bazar Horizonte (http://www.bazarhorizonte.com.br/) have very good service and products. Lindentea (http://www.lindentea.eu/) from Portugal has a nice service in several languages.
ReplyDeleteJan - Thanks for the tip! I'm excited to have new shops and materials to explore. What has been your experience with customer service/shipping/etc from these suppliers?
Delete~Rebekah
Hi Rebekah--I'm a rug hooker who loves these Arraiolos rugs, too. I am looking to fringe my next rug in a non-traditional way, and I found your site. BTW, the door mill store carries the sort of linen backing you need, and rug hookers such as Margaret Arraj the heavy duty rug-grade yarn. Now, if I could just find a way to import just the fringe...I've been studying my own fringed rug to see if I can replicate it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip: https://dorrmillstore.com/index.php/site/products/category/foundation_cloth/17
DeleteThis foundation looks interesting. It's 12x12 instead of 10x10, but as long as you're fine with a slightly smaller rug, it should be fine. The traditional arraiolos wool might be a bit thick for a more dense base, but linen is a very strong fabric and its evenweave, so it should be durable. Great find!
We typically use a three ply wool yarn that is tightly worsted. While the 2-ply yarn offered by Dorr should work for wall hangings, I'd recommend using only a tightly worsted 3-ply wool yarn for rugs you plan to walk on.
Rosarios4 carries fringe in any color. Go here for order information: http://www.rosarios4.com/index.php?lop=conteudo&op=647bba344396e7c8170902bcf2e15551&id=735b90b4568125ed6c3f678819b6e058
You can contact Custodio Matos, the international sales rep, by email for orders. You can email in English.
I am a spinner and tapestry rug maker. I fell in love with one of these rugs in Ireland last month and want to try to make one. Am having trouble even ordering a kit from the sources you cited. I would try to spin the right type of wool for the project (long term of course) but I can't even order a sample of the type of wool it requires.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me about what works best? ply, wraps per inch etc?
I'm sorry to hear you're having problems communicating with the suppliers I reference on this site. I'd be happy to send you some yarn samples if you'll reply with your address to this post. All replies are moderated before they're published so I can get the information and delete rather than publishing your address to the world.
DeleteIn general, the yarn is a coarse yarn, three plies and much more tightly wrapped than typical knitting yarns. I haven't counted the wraps yet, but will update this post as soon as I do.
Boa fortuna!