Mapusha Weaving Cooperative

Traditional Weaving Supports Women, Families and Community

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You are here: Home / Commission a Rug

Commission a Rug

If you are interested in ordering a custom rug, contact Judy by email.

Mapusha rugs

Anna spinning wool for rugs

Anna Spinning Wool for Rugs

We receive the carded sheep’s wool from Port Elizabeth in big burlap bags and the spinners are the first to work the smooth, raw fibers into circles of wool to be spun into thread. Anna Mduli and Anna Nduzukula work together to provide the wool for the weavers.

Gertrude Mbetsi, Lizbeth Mathonsi and Angy Debarwane are the coop’s top rug weavers. They are part of each step in the process. Once the wool is spun, they—

  • Dye the wool
  • Prepare it for weaving
  • Warp the tapestry loom
  • and weave a rug
Lindy Weaving Africa Tree Woman Rug

Lindy Weaving
Tree Woman Tapestry

Woven Abstract Africa Tree Woman Tapestry

Tree Woman Tapestry

The rugs made by the Mapusha weavers are simple, beautiful and durable. The Karakul wool is strong and the tapestry technique makes for a tightly woven rug.

The weavers can do almost any design but we focus on geometrics, African scenes, and simple curves.

Rugs can be woven to your size specifications. The standard size rug is 1m x 1.5m (approximately 3′ x 5′). Contact Judy for current prices.

Rugs are woven on a commission basis

Here are some examples of recent work:

Grasses, hand spun, dyed, woven rug
Gertrude and Lisabeth at hand loom weaving a rug
Spring's Greens tapestry
Leaves Rug
Zig-zag Geometric Rug
Zig-zag Geometric Rug in room
Weaving a Curves Rug
Colorful Curves Rug
wool rug with grey and yellow curves
Green Geometric Rug close-up
Green Geometric Rug

Join Our Supporters and Volunteers

Mapusha weaver with child and supporter

What

The Mapusha Weaving Cooperative is a nonprofit enterprise of women weavers and spinners who demonstrate their mastery of weaving with carpets and tapestries of hand-spun and hand-dyed Karakul wool.

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