How We Home: Kilim Rugs with Online Sources
Kilim rugs are textile carpets that have been woven using a flatweave technique. Unlike other rugs which are created by rows of knots being tied onto the warp threads resulting in a pile, kilims are woven by interlocking the strands together which result in a flat weave. The technique is very similar to backstrap weaving just on a different type of loom.
Growing up, I remember rolling around or reading a book on the scratchy, flat woven wool rugs that my grandfather brought back from his work travels to Saudi Arabia in the 80's. The musty wool fibers smelled like the goats that my grandparents raised on their farm. A smell that brings back memories of my life growing up in rural Missouri before moving to Alabama.
My grandparents raised sheep and goats on their 150+ year old farmstead outside of St. Louis. Together, they raised the animals, sheared and prepared the wool, and then my grandmother would naturally dye the fibers and use a spinning wheel to spin them into thread. Below is a couple of editorials they were featured in!
My grandmother was particularly interested in natural dyeing techniques, and either grew or scavenged for plants with which to create the perfect color hues. She even kept a “pee pot” on the front porch because FUN FACT: urine is the strongest natural binder for dyeing textiles. The chemicals found in urine permanently bind the color to the fibers. Sounds totally disgusting I know; but for us grandkids it was just one of the many quirky things our grandmother did. Now that I work with artisan textiles however, those “quirky” things I didn’t understand as a child, are not strange to me anymore, but very much a part of textile history.
I never learned how to use the spinning wheel from my grandmother and it’s one of my biggest life regrets. But her inspiration is one of the many reasons I started working with global weavers and understand the value of handcrafted textiles.
While I never learned to spin from my grandmother, one of my most valued possessions, is the kilim rug my grandfather brought back from his travels to the Arabian peninsula. The images above show my grandfather’s rug in my previous home (left) and my current home (right).
My father passed it down to me a few years ago and it’s an heirloom piece I will always treasure. Before he passed away, my grandfather loved talking about his time overseas; not about the work that he was sent over there to do, but about the people and the culture. After work, he used to spend his time in bedouin camps getting to know the families and learning about their traditions.
Kilim rugs were particularly used by nomadic tribes due to their lighter weight and flat texture making them easier for travel. While he sourced this rug on his trips to Saudi Arabia, the rug is most likely Persian in origin.
Our homes are a reflection of our lives and I love the time worn flaws of my rug because each imperfection holds a story and reminds me of my grandfather. I hope that by sharing my personal style (which centers around global textiles and found items), you are inspired to add products that create a story in your life as well.
For some more inspiration, the images below are of a Persian kilim I sourced locally at a yard sale years ago. The first two photos are from my old home, and the third shows a peek of where it’s currently at in our master bedroom. Rugs frequently get moved around our home as I like to change things up periodically.
I’ve pulled together a few online kilim rug sources to inspire you to add one of these woven masterpieces to your own home.
ONLINE KILIM RUG SOURCES
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