Orange Tribal Khorjin Rug
This orange tribal Khorjin rug is hand knotted in Afghanistan from lamb wool and measures 350 x 270 cm, or about 9.5 square metres. Stripes in rust, orange, tan, red, green and blue run across the whole field, with small geometric motifs in most of them. There is no separate border, so the stripes run from one side to the other, and a fringe finishes each end.
The design up close
Across this orange tribal Khorjin rug, the stripes change in width and colour. Some bands carry diamond medallions, with a green or rust diamond at the centre and small cream and red shapes around it. Others hold rows of small stepped motifs, lozenges and dots. Two wavy cream and brown lines run through the rug, and a few bands are plain blue or green.
The motifs are small, so the rug reads as texture from a distance. Up close, the bands with diamond medallions stand out most, and the band colours vary between red and maroon, tan and gold, and rust and orange. Because no single band dominates, the orange tones come mainly from the rust and tan stripes.
From saddlebag to rug
Khorjin rugs 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 Khorjin rugs take up that look across the whole field, often in many colours, and this orange tribal Khorjin rug is one of them.
How Afghan rugs are made
Afghan rugs are hand knotted on a loom, one knot at a time, and a room-size rug can take a small team of weavers many months. Wool for Khorjin rugs is typically thick and hard-wearing, and often hand spun, which gives the surface a lively look. This rug is made from lamb wool, and the design shows clearly on the back of a hand knotted rug, with slight irregularities from tying each knot by hand.
Sizing your orange tribal Khorjin rug
At 350 x 270 cm, this orange tribal Khorjin rug covers about 9.5 square metres. A three-seat sofa of around 2.2 m leaves about 65 cm of rug showing past each end, so the whole sofa sits on the stripes. Under a dining table of about 240 x 100 cm, the rug gives roughly 55 cm at each end and 85 cm along each side. Cream or grey walls and timber floors let the orange and red bands stand out, and cushions in rust or green pick up the stripes.
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 tribal 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.
