Rug and carpet dyes

What to look for in vegetable dyes

• Look for bands of colour (be careful, false bands are put in by modern weavers to give this effect).

• In order to double check, look at each strand of wool and make certain that it varies.

• Most wools used, with the exception of a few cases, were hand spun and are not two, three or four ply yarns.

• No loss of colour, except in aubergine and mauve.

• Bright colours.