My adventures and my non expert opinion on machine made rugs

Hey lovely people who love Persian rugs!

Ok. Now I am all set to move to a new pretty country to live and work. My Persian rug got packed today in my suitcase. So I am good to go ! :)

Packing my rug, reminded me that I have not updated you for a long time... So here is my update (I will edit some other posts too):

My non expert opinion on machine made rugs:

Once when I was visiting Iran, a relative of mine wanted to buy a machine made rug. I happened to have lunch at their home when they were discussing where to buy a large machine made rug for their huge living room.

I told them "why you pay for a flooring which is "probably" made out of artificial/synthetic textile? It also has no soul in it? It is like an artificial flower. Buy a handmade rug instead!"

They said "how can we afford a 9 square meter handmade Persian rug in this economy only so little kids split ice cream on it ? It must cost a fortune. "

I said "the sad reality is that you can find handmade rugs at the same price as a machine made one. Of course , it will be corse,  might not have a unique design, and it is not going to be an artwork. 

Still it is made out of real wool, is more beautiful than a machine made rug. It has a soul (being handmade) and is safer for environment. More importantly you support that lovely mother who lives in a village and supports her kids by weaving rugs. 

Hand made rugs, if washed by professionals wont lose their pretty look- unless they have a very poor unnatural colour . But machine made rugs are very likely to look fifty after a few washes (my opinion not necessary a fact). "

So off we went to the bazar . We found a 9 square meter Nain rug (made in city of Nain near Isfahan and Kashan). It was slightly more expensive that the machine made rug they wanted to buy, but only slightly. 

It was very pretty though and felt very soft and thick. It was a great choice for a home with kids. It knot density was not very fine of course (maybe 200 knots per square inch). It is long lasting and durable and after several decades when it is of no use any more, it will NOT ended up as litter in our environment. They can sell it whenever they want without losing much value (unlike machine made rugs). 

Now years later, they have washed it 1-2 times and it still looks very good. And they keep thanking me for my bright idea :P 

Conclusion #1: if you do not have lots of money or have messy kids , you can still enjoy a pretty Persian rug. It does not need to be a master piece. 

Conclusion #2:  if you care about polar bears and all of those cute fish and penguins , maybe you would like to consider buying flooring that do NOT ended up as litter in our environment.

My opinion and not necessary a fact...

<3 

XO

My persian home

My most beloved parents gave me this lovely Isfahan Persian rug for my birthday long time ago when I was visiting them. I have it in my bedroom so I can look at it every morning when I open my eyes. It has silk foundation , with silk and kork (baby lamb's wool) pile. It has about 100 knots per square cm.

As I look at this beautiful piece of art, I think "to me" ( I am not generalising) there is nothing sweeter , lovelier and more fascinating than a persian home .

A persian home reminds me of pretty hand made rugs picked up by your loved ones for  memorable occasions,  persian handicrafts hanging or sitting everywhere, exotic smell of a persian kitchen , the irreplaceable privilege of having your caring loving persian parents, books of Hafez, Khayam and Ferdowsi, classic persian music in the air,  a small pound with blue mosaics  and the sight of a vine tree in a garden …

That is what this loving rug reminds me of:  HOME !

Look at it. It is all there .. I can even hear the birds.  I can see myself playing in the garden, making little boats with walnut shells and throwing them into the blue pound, eating unripe  grapes, and taking my dolls for a picnic  ..

If you study persian rugs (or any persian art for that matter - for example persian poetry), you immediately realise that being a persian, is not just a nationality. It is also a way of life,  a way of being, feeling, and seeing.

When you are from an ancient sophisticated culture , you are like an old tree, with thick long roots . No thing can ever unroot you even if you spend most of your life being away from your home !

I wish the world were able to see Persia beyond its sad days…

Thanks mom and dad for giving me a persian home and this persian rug is its picture. You gave me the knowledge, the love, and the bringing up so I can keep my persian home at heart. With that in heart, I am as good as a king.

****

By the way, if you are visiting Iran, visit Isfahan, go to the old Persian rug bazar (behind Naghshe Jahan Square) and just give your eyes a great pleasure (even if you cannot afford to buy any rug).

Hint #1:   Always haggle ! specially with my fellow cool Isfahanies!
Hint #2:   Always look at those rugs , sellers hang on their walls . They are often (not always) among the best they have.
Hint #3:   If the rug is course or it does not have silk foundation, there is a great likelihood that it is not from Isfahan but a nearby village for example Najaf Abad.
Hint #4:   Always ask the seller to write in the receipt that it is from Isfahan. Isfahan rugs are "among" the most expensive rugs you might find anywhere on the planet (per square meter).

Turkaman rug

Grandma was very kind and she had a Turkaman rug.

(Image is taken from http://www.oldcarpet.com/turkamen.htm, it looks very similar to Grandma's rug)

She had lovely white braid hair and always wore a tiny scarf- not to hide her hair for religious reasons, but to treat her age as a private matter: "I do not want people see my white hair" she said stubbornly. 

She had grey eyes , very fair skin, round face, sweat smile and the most lovely chin ever.

In summer, when roses and petunias in our garden grew, she used to wash the garden to cool the air. Then she used to spread her red Turkman rug on a platform.  I sat with her and we ate blackberries. She told me stories about her childhood and I told her about things I thought I would do when I grow up..

Any way, thats is what Turkaman rugs remind me: Grandma and her kindness.

Turkoman rugs are made by nomadic weavers of many different countries. They include Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and the province of Khorassan in northeast Iran(Persia). Of course weaving techniques in these areas  might be different. But they all have dominant red background color, geometric flowers (octagonal motif known as Gul=flower). 

They bring life and warmth to your home but sadly not all of them are of good quality. So buy them from a reputable dealer. 

I really like them and I am sure I gonna buy one of them to celebrate Granma's memories.

XXXOOO

Me

Where to buy rugs?

Well, I cannot and will not suggest a shop or website here. But very often, friends and relatives ask me where to buy a "good" rug !

My answer is


1- I know it is not always possible but if you can, try to ask someone who knows about rugs to help you. You might have a friend or relative that knows about rugs.

2- If it is a really really expensive rug, ask for an appraisal from a qualified honest appraiser. 

3- ALWAYS, ask for a certificate or at least a receipt that gives a description of the rug: its size, city it is made (its origin in fact), age, pattern, design, name of the workshop it is made (if it is known),  its condition, the price you have paid. 

4- ALWAYS inspect the rug, make sure it is clean, it is a symmetrical/accurate rectangle, the patterns are symmetrical (if they are supposed to be), watch out for damages(i.e. stains and wear), the edges are healthy. 

5- ALWAYS shop around. I know it is very tempting but never ever buy the first rug you like right away without researching about it- well unless if you are an expert (in that case you wont read my blog ). Look at it in this way: you might believe in love in first sight but you wont do IT on your first date. Right? Well unless you are an expert ;)

You also can search internet and find rugs with the same quality, style, signature in your own country so that you have a rough estimate.

6-  Discuss return options and make sure it is written in the receipt.

7- Buy the rug you really love. No , loving it is not enough ! You should be in love with it. You must feel a connection to it. OK? It is not fair to a rug if you just find it suitable but there is no love ;) 

xoxo
Me

How to clean a Persian rug?

A few days ago, I was talking to mom and she said they had sent a number of rugs to a rug cleaning shop to be cleaned for Nowrouz. Knowing, how my cute mother loves her rugs , I was frightened. I asked if they researched about that shop and if they asked expert advise on which place provides the most reliable service. She answered that yes she had talked to an expert and that is how she was referred to that shop. But she called the shop again and made sure they do their best..

So that reminded me ooops I forgot tell you about cleaning your rugs.

Look all I have to say is :

1) Read this very good link but ONLY for emergencies when there is a stain..
http://www.rugs-oriental.net/cleaning-persian-rugs.html.

The above link says "The longer a stain remains in the fabric of your Persian rug, the harder it becomes to remove. Scoop up solid material with a spatula or a spoon. Absorb any excess liquid with a clean, white, absorbent cloth, towel or paper towel. To prevent spreading a stain, work from the outside edge of the stain toward its centre."

Read the rest yourself. It is a very good webpage and the above quote was from it (www.rugs-oriental.net).

2) If you want to wash the stain yourself, always make sure that the dye is stable and can be washed. You can try a small corner first, if the rug is not a very expensive one. Good quality rugs always have natural and stable die.  But ALWAYS test.

3) Always ask expert advice. Handmade rugs are not like machine made rugs and carpet. You cannot use the same methods to clean them. If you have a painting at home and it damages, do you borrow your kid's colour pencil and amend it yourself? So shop around , ask experts, seek guarantees and ask them how exactly they gonna clean it and what material they use…

4) Never ever wash very expensive rugs yourself, except those measures you must take in emergency (step 1).

5) Always keep a white cotton towel around- in case of an accident. Read about it before an accident.

6) If it is not an emergency, please do NOT do it yourself. Cleaning handmade rugs is a speciality itself.


By the way, my mother's rug did not have a stain. They were used in common areas (living room , corridors etc) so they needed to actively participate in Spring Cleaning. You must see Iran before Nowrouz, when people wash their rugs themselves (I know what you just thought) and hang it over balcony to get dried…  So pretty.. It is a very magical scene …

XOXO