kashmiri carpetsare renowned through out the world mainly for two reasons one being that they are hand made and second they are always knotted not tufted. Carpet weaving in kashmir was not originally indigenous but is thought to have come in by way of persia. Till today, most designs are distinctlypersianwith local variations. One example, however, of a typically kashmiri design is the tree of life. Persian design not with standing, any carpet woven in kashmir is referred to as kashmiri. The colors- way of a carpet, andits details differentiate it from any other carpet. And while on the subject of color, it should be kept in mind that although the colors of kashmiri carpets are more subtle and muted than elsewhere in the country, only chemical dyes are used.a carpet may well be the most expensive purchase from your trip to kashmir but it is a lifelong investment.

the knotting of carpet is the most important aspect, determining its durability and value, in addition to its design. Basically, the more knots per square inch, the greater its value and durability. Count the number of knots on the reverse of carpet in any one square inch, and it should be roughly the same as the dealer tells you, give or take 10 knots. If you are told that a carpet contains 360 knots, and your count indicates about 10 less, it simply means that the weft has not been evenly combed down in parts -- this is not a fault, and several random checks throughout the carpet will even go above the figure of the dealer's estimate. Also, there are single and double-knotted carpets. You can quite easily identify one from the other on the reverse of the carpet. The effect that it has on the pile too is important - a double-knotted carpet has a pile that bends when you brush it one way with your hand, and stands upright when it is brushed in another direction. A single knotted carpet is fluffier and more resistant to the touch, there is no 'right' and 'wrong' side to brush it.

points to keep in mind when choosing a carpet:

* whether it has been made of silk pile on silk base, silk pile on cotton base, silk and wool on cotton base or wool on cotton base.
* the number of knots on the reverse of the carpet; whether one or more line in the design has been omitted completely in which case the pattern looks lopsided;
* whether any element in the design has been wrongly woven so that one motif is larger or smaller at one end than the corresponding motif at another end, etc.
* whether each motif or element of design has clear, crisp outlines; blurred edges indicate a fault in the weaving.
* whether the edges of the carpet are crooked as if it had been incorrectly mounted on the frame, so that one end is broader than another.

Papier Mache, today, has become highly stylized and appealing by using real gold and silver paint and by adding intricate decorations. The designs and decorations of the Kashmiri Papier Mache, usually in the form of flowers and birds, have a strongPersianflavor. Among other rich designs are 'Arabesque', done in gold against a brown or red ground to show sprays of rose blossoms in fine lines and 'Yarkand', an elaborate design built up in spirals with gold rosettes radiating from various centers and white flowers laid over gold scroll work. Some items like bowls and vases are lined with brass, while on special orders boxes and other items are ornamented with gold and silver leaves and depict beautiful landscapes and objects like a house boat, that form an inseparable part of Kashmiri lifestyle.

The designs painted on objects ofpapir mchare brightly coloured. They vary in artistry and the choice of colours, and it is not difficult to tell a mediocre piece from an excellent one. Gold is used on most objects, either as the only colour, or as a highlight for certain motifs. Besides the finish of the product, it is the quality of gold used which determines the price. Pure gold leaf, which has an unmistakable lustre, is far more expensive than bronze dust or gold poster paint. Varnish, which is applied to the finished product, imparts a high gloss and smoothness, and increases with every coat applied.

Pampore, near Srinagar, is the only place in the world besides Spain where saffron is grown.Saffron is the stigma of the fall flowering crocus. Peek inside most any flower, and you will see three threadlike filaments. These are stigma - but only in the saffron crocus are these stigma worth thousands of dollars per pound. Saffron is so valuable because it is a very labor intensive crop, and only 5-7 pounds of saffron can be produced from each acre of land. This makes saffron the most expensive spice by weight - it always has been - but by use saffron isn't that expensive, because a little goes a long way. A single gram of saffron easily translates into golden color and fragrant flavor in 10 recipes of saffron rice for four, several batches of bread, or a couple of big pots of paella. At Penzeys, we sell three different grades of Saffron:

Cushion coversare made either from crewel fabrics or chainstitch.These are used for pillows and are a good wall decorators as well.They add to the beauty of room, Sofa sets, Beds, etc. A good matching with the curtains will give a flourishing glow to both.

Kashmiri shawls are made - wool, pashmina and shahtoosh. The prices of the three cannot be compared - woollen shawls being within reach of the most modest budget, and shahtoosh being a one-in-a-lifetime purchase.Woollen shawls are popular because of the embroidery worked on them, which is unique to Kashmir. Both embroidery and the type of wool used bring about differences in the price. Wool woven in Kashmir is known as 'raffel' and is always 100 per cent pure. Sometimes blends from other parts of the country are used and Kashmiri embroidery is worked on them. These blends contain cashmilon, cotton, or a mixture of both.Pashmina is unmistakable due to its softness. Pashmina yarn is spun from the hair of the ibex found in the highlands of Ladakh, at 14, 000 ft above sea level. Although pure pashmnina is expensive, the cost is sometimes brought down by blending it with rabbit fur or with wool. It is on pashmina shawls that Kashmir's most exquisite embroidery is executed, sometimes covering the entire surface, earning it the name of 'jamawar'. A Jamawar shawl can, by virtue of the embroidery, increase the value of a shawl threefold.Shahtoosh, from which the legendary 'ring shawl' is made, is incredibly light, soft and warm. The astronomical price it commands in the market is due to the scarcity of the raw material. High in the plateaux of Tibet and the eastern part of Ladakh, at an altitude of above 5, 000 m, roam the Tibetan antelope (Pantholops Hodgsoni). During grazing, a few strands of the downy hair from the throat are shed which are painstakingly collected by the nomads, eventually to supply to the Kashmiri shawl makers as shahtoosh.