If you read our blog post that unravels the making of a Roger Oates runner you may have heard us mention the Hattersley Loom. But what exactly is a Hattersley Loom, and why does it work so well to produce our Venetian Flatweave? Take a glimpse behind the scenes in the making of a Roger Oates runner, direct from the mill.

Founded in 1784 by Richard Hattersley of West Yorkshire, Hattersley’s original power looms were introduced in 1834 when his son George was asked to develop one to make worsted cloth. The first of its kind not to be hand powered, it was a machine that changed the story of weaving. Years later, the Hattersley Looms that we use to make our flatweave were released in 1921. Cutting-edge for the time, these power looms replaced the standard hand-operated looms that had dominated the market. This new offering sold in their thousands, and many became the loom of choice for the famous Harris Tweed.

It takes a whole day to create the warp for our designs, where each one is then meticulously threaded by hand onto the loom, followed by around two days of weaving to produce just one roll of flatweave

Our Craft

Our journey into using the Hattersley Loom began in 1987, when the owners of a country residence approached Roger Oates and Fay Morgan with a historic flatwoven fragment, discovered by National Trust Scotland at Kellie Castle in Fife. Thus began the journey into developing Venetian Flatweave, transforming it into the highly distinctive modern floor covering we see today.

Made in small-scale mills, we use traditional hand operated Hattersley Looms from the 1950’s, which we have restored and specially adapted to weave our narrow width flatweave. In 1989, a Hattersley Loom previously used for Harris Tweed, wove our first collection of striped flatweave in a limited number of colours, which is now regarded as our signature design. All weaving takes place in the Devon countryside, using the skilled techniques and in-depth knowledge of our experienced weavers. Finished with a false selvedge woven edge, this means our flatweave can be seamed together by hand to create bespoke rugs and wall-to-wall areas. 

Nurturing Tradition

It takes a whole day to create the warp for our designs, where each one is then meticulously threaded by hand onto the loom using British yarn, spun and dyed in Yorkshire. Throughout the process, the weft of each runner is wound onto pirns, where each one is manually changed every few inches by hand. A timely procedure, the skill and expertise involved is passed on through our experienced weavers, keeping us tethered to the traditional techniques that make our flatweave so special.

Uncompromising quality

After a roll of flatweave is completed, it is sent to our Herefordshire Workshop into the skilled hands of our Sewing Team, for the final stage of finishing. Here, every roll is darned by hand and checked over with an expert eye, in a process that can only be carried out by a trained member of the team, taking up to six hours per roll. Once completed, each roll passes one final quality check before it is allocated to its new home.

Each roll of our Venetian flatweave carries with it the mark of quality British craftsmanship, celebrating the skills we have developed throughout our rich history. At Roger Oates Design, we are committed to maintaining those traditional methods for generations to come and believe that there is beauty in these age-old practices.

We hope this offers a small glimpse into the processes and time involved in crafting each metre of your flatweave runner or rug. If you would like to learn more and see our flatweave in person, visit our Ledbury Showroom or London studio, where our knowledgeable staff are on hand to answer any questions and help choose the right piece for your home.