Handmade Rugs - Hand-Knotted

Handmade rugs are one-of-a-kind works of art, each one made up of thousands of knots that are individually tied by a skilled weaver. It can take many months to weave a handmade rug depending on how many knots are tied per square inch. The greater the number of knots per square inch, the longer it takes. This is why these types of rugs are so much more expensive than machine-made rugs. A tremendous amount of skilled work goes into the creation of a handmade rug.

The Hand-Knotting Process

Handmade rugs are made on large looms. These are usually vertical looms, although some weavers favor horizontal looms.

First, the weaver first ties all of the the warp threads vertically on the loom. Then the weft or horizontal threads are then woven one-by-one through the warp. The weft threads hold the rug together and form the edges of the sides of the rug. As the weft threads are added, the knots are hand-tied to the warp threads and secured. When the rug is completed, the top and bottom warp threads are trimmed and form the fringe of the handmade rug.

Types of Knots used in Handmade Rugs

The pile and design of the carpet is created using hand-tied knots. There are two types of knots that are used in most handmade rugs, depending on the traditions of the region in which the rug is made.

The Persian knot is used in handmade rugs weaved in China, Tibet, Nepal, Pakisan, India, Iran and Afghanistan. It is also called the Senneth knot. This type of knot is favored for designs that have curves them, such as flowers or curved geometric shapes, for it produces a finer knot which is good for more complex patterns.

The Turkish knot is used in countries such as Iran, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan. This type of knot is also called the Ghiordes knot or double-knot. This is a bulkier knot than the Persian variety and typically produces a richer pile.

Jufti knots are not really a type of knot but a method of tying knots to the warp thread. In very fine handmade rugs the Persian or Turkish knots are normally tied around two warp threads. Jufti knots are simply Persian or Turkish knots that are tied around four warp threads instead of two. Handmade rugs made with jufti knots are less expensive because they take much time to make, but they do not wear as well as the other handmade rugs.

Turkish knots are typically used in countries to the
left of the red divider line, Persian knots to the right.

Handmade Rug Weaving Tools

The weaver uses three main tools to weave the rug. A gollab, which is a type of hooked knife, is used to pull the weft threads through the warp. As each weft row is added, a comb (also called a beater) is used to snug the rows of weft and the knots together to form a tight weave. Scissors are used to hand cut and clip the threads from the knots evenly. The skill of the weaver determines the durability and quality of the finished handmade rug.

Knot-Density of Handmade Rugs

Not all handmade rugs are made the same. One of the key factors in determining the value and durability of the rug is the number of knots it is made of. Knot density is figured in the number knots per square inch. The higher the number of knots per square inch, the more valuable and durable the rug is. The number varies between 400 and 2000 knots per square inch. Rugs with 1,200 or more knots are very rare and extremely valuable. They are the finest possible handmade rugs.