Blue Super Fine Gabbeh Rug
This blue super fine Gabbeh rug was double hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb wool and measures 290 x 198 cm, or about 5.7 square metres. The field is built from horizontal bands of red, orange, sand and navy, and a sky blue border frames the rug on every side.
The blue super fine Gabbeh rug up close
Red and rust bands sit near the top and bottom of the field, with orange, sand and navy bands between them. A navy band across the middle carries a row of small animals in cream, navy and red, and orange bands hold rows of tiny tree shapes and diamonds. The field is open, with few motifs, so the bands carry the design.
The sky blue border holds panels of small figures and motifs in orange, red, navy, cream and green, with a narrow inner blue line between the border and the field. The blue sits mainly in the border, while the field itself is warm red, orange and sand.
Where Gabbeh rugs come from
Gabbeh rugs come from a nomadic weaving tradition: a thick, soft pile, open fields of colour and simple motifs, sometimes small figures or animals. The Gabbeh is a rug of the tribes of the Zagros mountains in Iran, including the Lori and Qashqai, who wove thick, simple rugs mainly for their own households. The name is often translated as raw or natural, which suits the look.
Weavers in Afghanistan now make Gabbeh rugs in the same spirit, and a Gabbeh suits modern, coastal and minimalist rooms. Its soft pile makes it a good choice for bedrooms and living areas where you want comfort underfoot.
How it is made
Each knot in this blue super fine Gabbeh rug is tied by hand on the loom, and the rug is double hand knotted. Our records note natural dyes, and the colour changes gently from one band to the next. Turn it over to see the design on the back, with the slight irregularities that hand knotting leaves.
Sizing it for your room
At 290 x 198 cm the rug covers about 5.7 square metres. A three-seat sofa of about 2.2 m set along the long side and centred leaves about 35 cm of rug showing past each end. Under a dining table of about 180 x 90 cm, roughly 55 cm shows at each end and about 54 cm along each side. This blue super fine Gabbeh rug has warm bands that sit well with timber floors and plain furniture.
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 super fine Gabbeh 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 Gabbeh Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Gabbeh rugs.
