Red Transitional Khorjin Rug
This red transitional Khorjin rug was double hand knotted by Afghan artisans in lamb’s wool and measures 221 x 158 cm. Its ground is pale cream, so the red appears in the bands and motifs, and the design is built from rows of birds, animals and trees.
The birds and trees are small and repeat in regular rows across the field.
The design up close
Rows of small birds, animals and trees run across the cream field, drawn in red, teal, brown and cream. Each row repeats the same figures from one side of the rug to the other. On this red transitional Khorjin rug, the figures sit between narrow bands, so each row reads as a separate line of pattern.
Bands of red and cream lozenges and diamonds separate the figurative rows. Octagonal medallions in red, orange and teal sit in the top and bottom bands, and a narrow border runs around the outside.
Between the rows, the cream ground shows through, so the figures stand out clearly.
A narrow border runs around the outside, and the top and bottom edges carry a fringe.
Where Khorjin designs come from
A Khorjin is a pair of woven bags joined together and carried over a horse or donkey, traditionally decorated with geometric patterns. Khorjin designs take that geometric look across the whole field, often in many colours. This red transitional Khorjin rug keeps the geometric bands and adds rows of birds, animals and trees.
This rug follows that approach with geometric bands and motifs drawn in the same palette as the figures.
How it is made
Khorjin designs from Afghanistan are hand knotted on a loom, and the design shows clearly on the back, with small irregularities from tying each knot. This red transitional Khorjin rug is double hand knotted, so the edge of each bird and tree is formed by rows of knots. Lamb’s wool forms the pile.
The figures are knotted, so each bird and tree is built from rows of knots.
Sizing your Red Transitional Khorjin Rug
At 221 x 158 cm the rug covers about 3.5 square metres. At 2.21 m long, it sits in the range where the front legs of a sofa and two armchairs can rest on it around a coffee table. With a cream ground, it suits a room where the red bands can stand out against light walls.
In a bedroom, a queen bed (153 cm wide) at the foot would leave about 34 cm past each side.
Its cream ground suits rooms with timber floors and pale walls, where the red bands show.
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 red transitional 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.
