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Dhurrie
Rugs
Dhurries
are flat woven rugs from India and Afghanistan. They
are made of cotton or wool and come in a huge variety
of combinations of light pastels or bright colors.
Their patterns are unique and reversible. The best
ones have five or six ply wool yarn twisted together
to make the weft threads. The tighter the weave, the
more durable the rug.
Inexpensive,
reversible, casual and easy to live with dhurries
are available in a wide range of colors, as well as
in a stonewashed finish. Cotton woven dhurries are
not advisable as heat insulators in the winter, but
wool ones are. Although cotton dhurries are washable,
strong colors are likely to run if put through a washing
machine; gentle handwashing should minimize the risk
of shrinking
Kilim
Rugs
These
are also flat woven rugs. The threads in a kilim are
woven across the warp, not edge to edge. The threads
are woven so closely together, that the threads are
invisible. They are made primarily in Turkey and Persia.
The material used in these rugs is wool with a wool
foundation. The patterns are geometric.
They
are used as coverings for floors, walls, tables and
beds. As an added feature, because of the weaving
technique, the rugs are reversible.
Aubusson
Rugs
The
Aubusson is a flat woven rug made in France. The production
began in the 1700's. It is woven similarly to the
Kilim using the slit-tapestry technique. These rugs
feature a floral medallion in the center with pastel
colors. This is a heavier weave than used in tapestries,
which makes it appropriate for flooring cover.
Flokati
Rugs:
These rugs have been made in Greece for over a thousand
years. In his tales, Homer speaks of Jason being asked
to retreive the "Finely hand woven Golden Fleece".The
Vlachs tribe of the 5th century were thought to be
the first to make these rugs. They were shepherds
and as such, had access to a supply of wool. The women
would would weave the rugs and use them as trade and
barter in the village bazaars. The rugs are woven
and sewn. Then they are placed under tremendous water
pressure for approximately 40 hours. This causes the
backing of the rug to swell while the pile unravels
and fluffs out. It is then hung out to dry. Most of
the currently made rugs are made with New Zealand
wool. The pile height varies from 1" up to about 6".
They also range in weight from 1.0 kilogram up to
5.0 kilogram per square meter. They now come in various
designer colors as well as the natural color.
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