Everything You Need To Know About Hand Woven Rugs

If you want to add a timeless touch to your home décor, you cannot go wrong with hand knotted contemporary rugs. Each one is lovingly crafted by hand by skilled craftsmen using techniques that have been handed down for centuries. Needless to say, these bespoke rugs can breathe new life and refinement into a bland space.

What Are Hand-Knotted Rugs?

Hand knotted modern rugs are made using a centuries-old technique via a special look. The practice originated in Central Asia and include classical creations such as traditional Oriental rugs and Persian rugs.

How a Hand-Knotted Rug Is Made

Each traditional rug is made using a unique weaving technique in which thousands of knots are inserted individually and tied to a base or the foundation of the rug. The knots make up the rug pile and the weaver weaves from the bottom and works his/her way up.

Craftsmen start with warp and weft threads. The former are vertical threads while the latter run horizontally. Both combine to create a beautiful fabric that has withstood time and changing trends for centuries. The foundation of the rug is unique – each weft is woven in and out of the warp threads which creates a design.

After that, silk or wool strands are hand-tied to each warp to create a design. Each strand is cut to precision, knotted to perfection and then tightened securely to secure the rug. At this time, the warp turns into fringes and the rug is held together by the wefts.

It Features Several Knots

A traditional hand knotted contemporary rug is made out of different kinds of knots and the techniques differ from one region to the next. Some of them feature Turkish knots while others boast Oriental or Persian knots, the most common hand woven technique used to create intricate designs.

Hand knotted rugs are also known as ‘flat weaves’ due to their flat texture. One of the best ways to determine if a rug is hand-knotted is to examine the underside. These don’t have any piles because the design is knotted right into the foundation and then shaved down. In other words, the front and back look exactly the same.

A Hand-Knotted Rug Is Not another Name for a Hand-Tufted Rug

Contrary to popular belief, a hand-knotted rug is not the same as a hand-tufted rug even if they do look exactly alike. Both are made from different techniques and hold up differently with the passage of time.

Unlike a hand-knotted rug which is made by meticulously tying each knot, the hand-tufted variety is made using a tufting gun. This speeds up the process, but it loses out in terms of quality. Yes, a hand-tufted rug looks immaculate, but it does not have the charm of the uneven design that hand-knotted rugs have.  

The vertical threads of a hand-tufted loom become the fringes of the rug and the foundation is made of the horizontal threads. The knots that are tied onto the vertical threads and cut and retied to secure each one. The weaver uses a tufting gun to punch strands into a solid canvas backing and the design is set in place with a special adhesive. These rugs take minutes to create which makes them more affordable than hand-knotted rugs.

There Are Two Types of Hand-Knotted Rugs

There are two types of hand-knotted rugs you may come across:

Flat woven rugs

Flat woven traditional rugs do not involve a foundation or knots. These have patterns weaved into them via vertical and horizontal threads. While making this rug, the weaver uses warp strands as the base and interweaves weft strands through them.

The cross-weave pattern makes the rugs reversible i.e. you can turn it regularly to increase its lifespan. Some of the flat-weaved rugs you can come across include:

Soumak – features thick weaves that are formed when wefts are passed over multiple warp strands. The result is a herringbone texture on the top of the rug that gives it a soft touch.

Dhurry – is a flat-weave rug that is made out of cotton yarn and known for its durability.

Kilim – is one of the oldest types of flat weave hand-knotted rugs you can find. The design is created by weft strands that make up the main color of the rug as they are looped trhough the warp strands to create a pattern.

Piled Rugs

Piled hand woven rugs have a mesh foundation which feature special knots of wool yarn wrapped to create a pattern. The plush surface is basically thick piles of yarn that are knotted together. Some of the different weaves that piled rugs feature include:

Sculptured weave – These rugs are known for their thickness, knotty weave and simple design. The patterns are made at the base of contrasting colors.

Persian weave – These rugs are some of the most popular types in pile rugs and differ in thickness. In fact, the thickness of a Persian weave pile rug determines its cost and the designs are named after famous Eastern cities where the rug originates from.

Nepal weave – These rugs feature modern weaving patters that are subtle and abstract. Most of the designs are inspired by nature.

Contact Modern Rug Importers for Hand Woven Rugs and Rug Maintenance Services

Whether you need to purchase an authentic hand woven modern rug or need a Persian rug cleaned or repaired, get in touch with Modern Rug Importers today. We have a range of top quality original rugs in our inventory that can take your home and office décor to the next level. Our professional and experienced cleaners can also make old and raggedy heirloom rugs good as new. Visit our showroom or get in touch with us today by dialing 1(800)813-1218.