Types of handmade rugs

Hand-knotted

Each knot of yarn is tied by hand around two warp threads, row after row, then trimmed to make the pile. The most durable and valuable kind of rug. Persian, Turkmen, Kazak, Oushak and most traditional Oriental rugs are hand-knotted.

Hand-tufted

Yarn is punched through a canvas backing with a tufting gun, then the back is glued and covered with cloth. Faster to make and cheaper than hand-knotted, but the glue breaks down over the years and the rug sheds.

Flat-woven: kilims and soumaks

Kilims are woven flat on the loom with no pile, so they are thin, light and usually reversible. Soumaks wrap the yarn around the warp for a slightly thicker, herringbone-like surface. Both are handmade and suit kitchens, entries and layering.

Hand-hooked

Loops of yarn are pulled up through a backing with a hook, leaving a looped pile. Common in folk and cottage rugs.

Common designs and regions

Persian city designs such as Heriz, Tabriz, Kashan and Isfahan; tribal designs such as Baluch, Qashqai and Gabbeh; Turkmen designs with rows of medallions called guls, such as Bokhara and Khal Mohammadi; bold geometric Kazak designs; soft, muted Oushak and Chobi designs; and modern designs such as Moroccan Beni Ourain.

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