Oriental rugs are some of the most beautiful carpets available. But how are Oriental rugs made? Are those intricate designs that difficult to create? As it turns out, years of craftsmanship and experience are poured into every oriental rug. Generations of carpet-making knowledge go into the final product sitting in your home Today, you’re going to learn exactly how Oriental Rugs are made. Many customers ask us what goes into creating one of our rugs, so I wanted to break it down for anyone confused or curious about the process. But first, let’s go through a little backstory to provide some context.

Who Makes & Sells Oriental Rugs

Oriental area rugs are manufactured and shipped across the World. We manufacture our rugs in Pakistan and the United States, and we sell to primarily U.S. based homeowners and interior designers. But there are many other manufacturers and retailers out there, as well. You can search about where to buy oriental rugs in Maryland and Virginia. 

Check out his video for more information on where to buy an oriental rug:

How Long Does It Take To Make An Oriental Rug?

Oriental rugs can take anywhere from a couple months to a few years to put together. However, the majority of rugs are manufactured within two to five months. Let’s see what happens during that two to five month period. 

Steps Of How Oriental Rugs Are Made

Step 1: Tools & Setup

Creating an oriental rug starts with the loom. The loom consists of a structure with two horizontal beams parallel to each other that are held up in front of the artisan. The distance between each one depends on the width of the rug being made. A “warp,” or vertical strands of wool, cotton, or silk that make up the rug’s foundation, is then attached to the beams. he main material (for the purpose of this article, we will describe the process using wool, but silk and other material can be substituted as well) is coated in sea salts. This helps the dye stick and set.

Step 2: The Wool Is Dyed

The dye is put into separate containers based on its color. Then a large amount of wool is submerged into each container. This allows the dye to stick and set onto the wool. It must be checked every so often by an expert artisan to make sure the correct shade is achieved. It takes years of practice and skill to know when the material is dyed the correct amount. The longer the wool stays submerged, the deeper the color. Overdyed Rugs are very popular for people who love deep, vibrant colors. 

Step 3: The Wool Is Hung Out To Dry

The wool becomes soaking wet during the dyeing process. Thus, it must be dried before an artisan can start weaving the wool into a beautiful rug. The wool is usually hung out in the sun, if possible. Otherwise, it is placed in a special drying room.

Step 4: The Wool Is Coiled

Once dried, artisans coil the wool in preparation for weaving. The coiling process can take a long time, but it saves time down the line. It’s much easier to pull wool onto the loom and manipulate it if it has been pre-coiled. 

Step 5: The Rug’s Design Is Drawn

Artists draw out the rug’s design so that the weavers can follow along during the creation process. This is commonly referred to as the “cartoon.” These days, software like Photoshop can be used to make changes on the fly. The entire rug does not need to be drawn out. It only needs to be drawn out enough so weavers understand the design and can continue it. (At RugKnots, we also use Photoshop to give customers a preview of the rug in their home before buying it. Contact us about the Ask A Designer service to utilize this service.)

Step 6: Coiled Wool Is Loaded Into The Wool Room

The colors needed for each particular rug are loaded into the wool room, a special room for storing the manufacturer’s wool inventory. Every time wool enters or leaves this room, it is weighed to keep an accurate account of how much is available and whether more wool needs to be dyed and stored.

Step 7: The Rug Is Weaved

The coiled wool is then loaded onto the loom, which has already been set up with warp (vertical strands of foundational material).Starting at the bottom of the rug, weavers feed wool in between the warp and tie knots on each one to secure it. This is also known as “weft.” Each knot is tied using a small knife that’s used to both cut the wool and tie the knots. As it usually takes multiple artisans to create one rug, they work together to make sure the design comes out correctly.

Step 8: The Rug Is Washed, Blocked And Stretched 

Once weaving has finished, the rug is washed, blocked and stretched. Washing helps to remove any loose material. The blocking and stretching process helps to flatten out the pile (fiber) and remove any wrinkles. The rug is then dried and stretched in the sun to create an even surface.

Step 9: Wrinkles Are Ironed Out And The Pile Is Sheared

If wrinkles persist, they are ironed out. The pile is sheared to remove any stray material. However, each artisan must be very careful, as one mistake could ruin the rug. his is one instance where years of experience come in handy.

Step 10: Ends Are Secured 

A weaver then secures the ends of the rug to keep the material in place. The fringe is the foundation of a rug. The long warp strings are tied off with knots to keep them from unraveling while you work on other parts, and the fringes can be any length that suits your needs - they're decorative too! The next step is called "treading." This means making loops out of all those loose ends left dangling at both sides. If it's done correctly, treading will create an attractive design along one side edge which resembles small rope coils or miniature braid designs in patterned carpets; this keeps people interested visually as their eyes move across its surface. It also adds strength to edges where wear might otherwise occur due to heavy use by foot traffic over time.

Step 11: Final Trimming And Washing

Finally, the rug goes through a final trimming process to make sure any loose strands are removed. A rug that has been properly woven will have a cut level. This is the point where all of the yarns are clipped at an even height, and any rogue pieces can be detected in this manner by workers who search for them with their hands to remove from the pile before they get missed again. The rug is now ready to be stretched out. The warp and weft strings need to be pulled tightly so that the rug doesn't lose its shape or bunch up. A video of an expert stretching a carpet can be seen below! After drying, sizing will cover the back for protection from dust particles in-between the cleaning process.

How To Identify The Authenticity Of An Oriental Rug?

It is not a simple task for normal folks to know the difference between an authentic handmade Oriental rug and a machine-made rug. Handwoven and hand-knotted rugs are also known as "Oriental" rugs, which many people find desirable because of their quality; this can depend on factors such as yarns' quality, dye used, knot count among other things. Hand-knotted Oriental rugs are made through a loom specially designed and knotted through the use of hands. The ancient art is admired by all who admire handiwork because it can only be seen as very time-consuming, yet still beautiful to behold in whatever rug you may take notice of. Some might not have heard about this type of weaving before; however, those that enjoy intricate work will love what they see in these painstakingly created works from such an unusual craft.

1. Changes In The Color Of Your Rug

The color of handmade rugs can change over time due to natural or unnatural reasons, but it is unlikely that the same thing would happen if you were buying a rug from your local store. The colors will typically appear in uneven stripes and are usually only visible on the background rather than all throughout like machine-made carpets! What could be more interesting than the fact that handmade rugs can have colors changing over time? The color changes are called abrash, and they're due to dyes used in weaving or just how the wool’s colors age. Most of these often subtle variations occur within a rug's background color rather than its design elements - making them hard for machine-made carpets to mimic.

2. Wool Pile And Warp

It is worth noting Handmade Rugs in most cases have wool piles used to weave them, contributing a cozy feel. While machine-made carpets are often made with polyester or nylon piles that can be woven into any desired pattern and come out looking perfect from every angle, there’s something about the imperfection of handcrafted goods that makes it all the more special! Besides their durability against wear and tear over time (which we know will happen!), these rugged textures add character to any space you put on display. And for those seeking authenticity when buying an Oriental rug—you won't want to miss checking its backside! You'll find white thread weaving between fringes at regular intervals called "the warp."

3. Visual Rug Differences

Although these two types of oriental rugs are very similar in size, shape, and price range, the difference between them is what sets one apart from the other. Handmade Oriental rugs have a more functional back than machine-woven ones because they use natural materials such as wool that won’t pull or tear like synthetic fibers would on any kind of rug surface. The difference between a machine-made and handmade rug is the fringe. Machine-made rugs have an overstitch edge with artificial fringes while handcrafted Oriental rugs are woven from back to front, meaning they don't need any embellishment at all! The marks on the backing of machine-made carpets generally come in two types: yarn thicknesses or pattern lines that help distinguish individual knots which can be rather difficult for even experts to find. If you're looking for something more natural than silk, wool will make your home warm and cozy this winter season without being too expensive like other materials out there! Your eyes move across the designs intently, searching for anything that might hint at a flaw or imperfection. You've been told by other rug enthusiasts to keep your guard up and be on high alert when inspecting an oriental carpet, but you're not sure what they mean until now. The design patterns are never perfect; there's always something off about it--either with size variations or mismatched shapes from one end of the spectrum to another. This unevenness is clearly seen in most Oriental rugs much older than this example here before a sign of authenticity rather than poor craftsmanship as many people mistakenly think. The designs on your Oriental rug should never be the same shape and size from one end to the other. And, they shouldn't always be perfect either (although this is a sign of authenticity). You can tell when it's real because every design pattern isn't evenly spaced out like machine-made rugs are!

4. Cost Of The Rug

The Oriental rug is a key piece of furniture in many homes. Whether it's used as decoration or for sitting on, this unique type of carpet can add to the character and personality that make up your house. But have you ever realized how even more special each one really is? There are some things about these carpets that differentiate them from other types while also making them stand out among all others! Oriental rugs typically contain an uneven pattern with design shapes breaking patterns at random intervals; often they do not conform to perfect squares across their length like those found in machine-made designs. These irregular designs signify authenticity which should be sought after by anyone who values quality over quantity when buying new goods. You can peruse the designs intently, turning towards one end of your rug and then setting foot on it. You'll notice that each pattern is not always perfect- something which you'll find in most Oriental rugs much older than this one. That's because there will be variations from opposite ends to other parts of the handmade rug - a sign of authenticity for those who want their carpets to look as if they are antique but still have modern appeal! This unevenness should never be mistaken for a poorly done carpet though; machine-made ones usually contain the same sizes no matter where you stand and these patterns won't vary unless specified by custom design requests or specifications. It may be worth it to travel abroad if you're interested in purchasing a quality Oriental rug. Countries like Persia, India, China, Egypt, and Afghanistan offer handmade ones at a fraction of the price than they are offered here in Canada or other parts of North America. But, now you can get the best quality rugs online at affordable prices from RugKnots, an online leading rug brand in the US.

Note: There is a great deal of time and craftsmanship that goes into the creation of an oriental rug. When you purchase one, not only are you getting beautiful art to decorate your home with but also a piece representing centuries worth of history in design tradition. The best oriental rugs can be found at RugKnots! If you have any questions about this process or how our oriental rugs are made, feel free to comment below or get in touch with us. For more information please email us at info@rugknots.com or call us at (240) 252-5452. We are happy to answer all your questions!