What Are Kilims?

How They're Made

• Artisans weave kilims using a loom, beating comb, scissors and sometimes a shuttle, a stick with notched ends. The weaver uses the comb to compress or beat down each line of thread to produce the tightest weave possible. The shuttle is used to pass the thread back and forth between the threads. Scissors are used to cut the threads. It takes about three months to create a kilim rug.

Materials

• Kilims are made mostly of wool, but sometimes have other materials woven into them. Wool is the thread of choice because it absorbs dyes easily, is easy to use, and is plentiful. The domestic fat-tailed sheep provides much of the fleece used in the world's kilims. When a weaver wants to give the kilim extra strength or sheen, he might mix in cotton, silk and animal hair, such as goat hair, camel hair and horse hair.

Dyes

• Rich colors make kilims striking and appealing to cultures around the world. The vivid colors come from natural and synthetic dyes. The kilim community is split on which kind of dye is best. Synthetic dyes are cheap and easily obtained. Natural dyes have been used for centuries. The natural dyes come from plants such as indigo, saffron, turmeric and sage. Both dyes hold up well and give the kilim colors vibrant hues.

Patterns

• The intricate patterns and motifs woven into kilims are actually an exotic and cryptic language all their own. The geometric shapes are symbols with their own meanings such as running water, hands on hips, tree of life and scorpion. Historians dispute the exact interpretations, but agree the messages woven into kilims express everything from the weaver's hopes for the future to tribal allegiances. While you may not understand the message, you can appreciate the global significance of these enchanting weavings that provide cultural insight and functional beauty.