These rugs and carpets were most popular before the advent of tufted carpets. The spool Axminster has been the most widely made.
Manufacturing Process
Colored yarns are wound on separate loom spools and placed in position according to the predetermined design. The spools are fitted in an overhead roller, providing a continuous supply of yarn to form the pile. The pile is produced by inserting the yarn as tuft loops with a needle stitch, rather than a shuttle.
Setting yarns for an Axminster design takes a long time, sometimes weeks, but once the design is arranged, weaving the carpets hardly takes any time. Soft twisted yarns is exclusively used for manufacturing Axminster carpets. The weave is not tight enough to withstand hand-surfaced yarn.
The surface closely resembles hand-knotted carpets, but the carpet can be easily distinguished from others, as it can be rolled only lengthwise. The carpets are often provided with a stiff backing made from jute fibers.