The real beauty of rugs is how they are intricately woven by hand and how much workmanship goes into making each rug. You are bound to appreciate the work of art done by these people when you see hand-knotted Persian antique rugs. Here is everything you need to know about hand-knotted and hand-tufted rugs and how they are made.

Hand-Knotted Rugs

A hand-knotted rug is a work of art and involves a lot of hard work. It is definitely a labor of love but it pays off in the end. A hand-knotted rug is made completely by hand and it can take a long time to complete one hand-knotted rug.

Hand-Knotting Technique

The technique is quite simple actually. It is a simple knotting technique, where the worker takes individual strands of wool and knot them together in a specific way to make a tug. The whole rug is knotted and the ends are fringed, which gives the rug its beautiful and characteristic look.

Usually, knotted rugs are those which are found in Persian stores, they are mostly oriental rugs, which look extremely beautiful and they have a nice and tribal touch to them. The number of knots in one foot of the rug determines the strength and durability of the rug. If there are more knots in a foot of the rug, then it is considered a dense and heavy rug, which means that it is highly durable and it will cost a lot as well.

They Are Made In Limited Numbers

Hand-knotted rugs take days and months to complete, where an average worker can knot about 10,000 knots in a day. Hand-knotted rugs are very unique and characteristic, this is why they are not mass produced. They are usually made on order and the orders have to be placed in advance in order to get the rug on time.

Spotting Hand-Knotted Rugs

The easiest way to identify a hand-knotted rug from a hand-tufted rug is to look at the back of the rug. The hand-knotted rug will have no backing or blank canvas behind it, it will be all wool and knots. This is how you know it’s a hand-knotted rug. It is also a very expensive choice of rug, but the look and feel of a hand-knotted rug is out of this world. A hand-knotted rug also has more value and it attracts a lot of house buyers.

Hand-Tufted Rugs

A hand-tufted rug is also a very beautiful kind of rug, but the techniques involved in making this rug are a little different and less time consuming than a hand-knotted rug.

How Are The Made?

The making of a hand-tufted rug involves the use of machine and man labor. It is usually made on a blank canvas, which is stretched over a frame. On this stretched out frame of canvas, a worker or a machine, to save time, pricks strands of wool until the design or pattern is complete.

Identifying Hand-Tufted Rugs

The way to identify a hand-tufted rug is to look at the backing of the rug. There will be a fabric which is the base canvas of the rug, which is evidence that the rug was made on a frame, hence it is a hand-tufted rug.

Hand-tufted rugs are also made out of wool, but it takes less time to make these than a hand-knotted rug.

Which Rug Should I Choose?

You will be surprised to know that a hand-tufted rug doesn’t last as long as a hand-knotted rug. It is less durable than a hand-knotted rug, because it can loosen over time. The strands can come out of the canvas and the design can be ruined after several years, whereas the strong knots of the hand-knotted rug are made to last for generations and can be handed down from one family to another as an heirloom.

But it should be kept in mind that a hand-tufted rug is also less expensive than a hand-knotted rug. It is made to last for years to come and if you take care of it nicely it will last just as long as a hand-knotted rug.

There you have it! Although both these rugs are woven by hand, the main difference is the way and the skill used to knot them each. Both these rugs are unique and beautiful in their own way. If you can find any of these rugs on sale Northern VA, you should consider buying them.