Blue NZ Wool Abshari Rug
This blue NZ wool Abshari rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan from New Zealand wool and measures 228 x 169 cm. The field is a mottled blue, with three large red medallions stacked down the centre and a cream border around the edge.
The three medallions are the strongest shapes on the rug, with small blossoms filling the spaces between them.
The design up close
Three large red medallions are stacked one above another down the centre of the blue field. Each has a red centre with a cream and gold diamond at its heart, and lilac panels on either side give each medallion its outline. Small red, cream and green blossoms fill the blue ground between them, spaced at regular intervals from top to bottom.
On this blue NZ wool Abshari rug, the ground is mottled, lighter in some areas and deeper in others, so it looks textured and varied. Around the field a cream border carries small green and red motifs, and a narrow outer band in red and cream sits at the very edge.
The mottled ground reads as one colour from a distance and as several shades when you look closely.
Afghan weaving
Afghan rugs are hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time. They more often carry bold geometric and tribal designs, with a heavier, more relaxed feel. Three bold medallions on a blue ground fit that style, and this blue NZ wool Abshari rug is an example of it.
Its three medallions are set in a single column, which gives the rug a strong central line.
How it is made
Our records note double hand knotting and natural dyes. New Zealand wool forms the pile, and each knot is tied by hand on a loom. The medallions of this blue NZ wool Abshari rug are knotted into the blue ground, so their edges are formed by rows of knots.
Sizing your Blue NZ Wool Abshari Rug
At 228 x 169 cm the rug covers about 3.9 square metres. Under a 180 x 90 cm dining table it leaves about 24 cm of rug at each end. At 2.28 m long, it sits in the range where the front legs of a sofa and two armchairs can rest on the rug around a coffee table.
In a dining room, a 240 x 100 cm table would be too long for this rug, so the 180 x 90 cm size is the one to check.
With a 2.28 m rug, chairs at the ends would sit off the rug when pulled out.
Looking after your rug
Vacuum it on a suction-only setting, or with the beater bar switched off, so the brush does not pull at the knots. Turn it around every six to twelve months so sun and foot traffic wear it evenly. Blot spills with a clean white cloth and cold water rather than rubbing them in. When it needs a full clean, choose a cleaner who washes handmade rugs by hand.
Put a good underlay beneath it. It stops the rug sliding on timber or tiles, adds cushioning and takes some of the wear off the pile. Moths like wool in dark, quiet spots, such as the part of a rug under a sofa, so vacuum those areas often and lift the furniture now and then.
See it before you buy
Visit our showroom at 307 Penshurst St, North Willoughby, open every day from 11 am to 4:30 pm, to see this blue NZ wool Abshari rug in person. If you would rather judge it in your own room, with your own light and furniture, book an in-home viewing and we will bring a selection to you.
Browse more Afghan Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Afghan rugs.
