The process of hand knotting rugs goes back a few thousand years. The oldest rug in the world is the “Pazyryk” carpet, which dates to the 5th century BCE.
The ancient art form and master craft of hand knotting rugs continues today. It starts with a design drawn on graph paper, called a "cartoon". Then the weavers take the design and begin the process of making the rug, one knot at a time.
Each color of yarn is chosen according to the graphed design and then tied (knotted) onto the 'warp'.
Depending on the type of knots made, the size of the wool strands, and how tightly the knots are tied and pounded down, this will determine the density and level of quality of a rug. For fine "oriental" rugs a high knot count (kpsi) indicates a superior quality rug. However, it is worth repeating, several different factors go into determining the quality of a rug, not just knot count.
Quality of wool, design, place of origin are just a few of the additional things to consider. The back of the rug reveals much about it's quality.
So .. .. how long does it take to make a rug? This chart will break it down for you.
It's not hard to see why a hand knotted rug costs more than a machine made or hand tufted rug, isn't it? The weaving labor alone is quite impressive. Then take into account the skills of the wool dyer and the rug designer, even the wool itself, especially if it is from the underbelly of the sheep (the finest quality wool). All told, when you purchase a hand knotted rug you are buying a work of hand made art - many times a unique one-of-a-kind piece of art. Worth every penny!
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Placing the correct size rug in your space is as important as choosing the right color or pattern. A rug that it is too small will shift the balance of the room unfavorably. A rug that is too big, especially in open floor plans, may put the area designations off. There are a few rules of thumb, but a picture says it better. Use these handy guides by Interior Designer Lisa Ferguson to make the best choice.
LIVING ROOM
DINING ROOM
BEDROOMS
All guides by Lisa Ferguson, Interior Designer Follow on Twitter @decormentor
gail gondek
February 23, 2018
Thank you for your excellent website. I am a member of the New York Guild of Handweavers, I will be sharing your site with our membership. It’s so informative and beautifully done.