Rug Materials, Designs and Tools:   

    Tools Needed to Make  a rug or kilim: The tools needed to make a kilim are not

only simple but few: 
* A loom
* A beating comb
* A knife or scissors
* A shuttle—optional—

Looms may have different sizes and be more or less complex but a majority of them are simple structures made of wood with a few metal parts. More sophisticated looms are found in modern carpet workshops. The loom’s role is to hold the warps (longitudinal strands) under tension so that the weaver may weave the wefts (horizontal strands) between the warps to fabricate the rug.
 

The beating comb is a larger and cruder model of a common hair comb. It can be made of wood, bone, horn, metal or a combination of these. Its function is to compress the wefts lines to get the resulting tightly woven kilim. A knife or scissors are used to cut and trim both the warps and the wefts. 

 Finally, the shuttle is a stick with notches in the ends. The weft end is put in the notch and the shuttle is inserted between alternate warps to produce a weave. However, most weavers prefer to do this with their own hands.

• Materials Used in the Weaving of  Rugs

* Rugs have traditionally been woven using wool. However, cotton and silk are also fine materials which may be used in the production of a kilim or  rug. Lots of rugs are made completely from wool in which it is used for both warps and wefts, and wool is also the primary weft material to be used with cotton warps, which is true for the majority of kilim rugs. The supremacy and popularity of wool as the prime material used to make a kilim rug lies in its intrinsic properties.

Wool is flexible, durable, readily takes on dyes and easy to handle when it is spun or woven, but its most significantly characteristic is that it is found in abundance in rug and kilim-making regions. There are certain breeds of sheep which are specially coveted like the merino due to its fleece’s special luster and length of fiber. Nevertheless, it is the domestic fat-tailed sheep bred the provider of much of the exceptional fleece used in rugs of today which ensures buyers of a long-lasting rug or kilim provided they take good care of it.

* Cotton is commonly used for warps, due to several reasons: One reason is that its high strength makes it keep its shape. A second reason is that it retains its natural whiteness through the passing of time. A third but not less important reason is that as cotton can be spun into thin strands it is usually interwoven in certain places to highlight specific aspects in the design carried out mainly with wool.

* Animal hair (goat, horse or camel) is used in the making of kilim rugs to create certain effects. For example, camel hair is sometimes used to give extra strength to a woolen rug. Horse hair –tail or mane—is used to provide attractive bangs or tassels. Fine goat hair when mixed with wool gives a silky sheen whereas strong longer outer hair may be used for warps or rugs’ selvedges.

* Silk will always be a luxurious material which is why silk rugs are rare but still produced.  As part of a bride’s dowry a silk rug or kilim will be jealously treasured as a status symbol and protected as family wealth.

* Gold or silver thread, beads and baubles and other decorative items may be included in a kilim’s design.

Rug Design
 

Pattern designs found in rugs may be roughly classified into these seven categories:
* Medallion ( A central medallion superimposed on the rug’ s field)
* Repeated motif ( a motif is repeated in multiple rows)
* All over pattern ( the rug is filled with different motifs)
* Open field ( A solid color surrounded by a series of borders)
* Panel ( Compartmentalize design divided into square, rectangular, etc)
* Portrait ( landscapes, historic monuments or events are depicted)
* Prayer ( Religious motifs with curvilinear or rectangular designs)