Orange Khorjin Rug
This orange Khorjin rug was hand knotted in Afghanistan in lamb’s wool and measures 235 x 175 cm. Vegetable dyes colour the wool. An orange ground is divided into horizontal bands in red, gold, brown and sky blue, which gives the rug energy and a strong tribal character.
The design up close
Horizontal bands run the full length of the rug. Near the top and bottom, red and cream bands carry small octagon medallions in blue, gold and cream. A wider orange band in the centre holds a row of diamond motifs with red and cream centres, and thin stripes of brown, gold and sky blue sit between the bands.
There is no single large medallion. The eye moves across this orange Khorjin rug from one stripe to the next, and the small motifs in each band are drawn with the same care from edge to edge. Its warm, varied palette runs from orange and gold to red and sky blue, and the sky blue stripes are thin enough to read as accents. The octagons in the top and bottom bands are small and evenly spaced, so they read as a border of repeated shapes across the full width.
From saddlebag to rug
Khorjin designs take their name from the Khorjin, the woven saddlebag of the region. A Khorjin is a pair of woven bags joined together and carried over a horse or donkey, traditionally decorated with geometric patterns. Today’s pieces take up that look across the whole field, often in many colours.
How an orange Khorjin rug is made
Weavers tie each knot by hand on a loom, one knot at a time. Turn it over and the pattern shows on the back, with small irregularities from tying each knot by hand. Each band is knotted by hand, so the edges between the stripes are never perfectly straight. Lamb’s wool gives the pile its soft surface.
Sizing it for your room
At 235 x 175 cm this orange Khorjin rug covers about 4.1 square metres. A dining table of about 180 x 90 cm leaves about 27.5 cm of rug past each end and 42.5 cm along each side, so it suits a dining room with a generous floor. A bold stripe like this also suits a family room, where busy patterns hide everyday wear. Where the rug sits by a sofa, its outer bands stay visible even with the furniture in place, because the bands run the full length of the rug.
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 orange Khorjin 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 Khorjin Rugs, or ask about a custom made rug in your own size and colour. Read more about Afghan rugs.
