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Home  All about carpets  Knotting

Persian knot   |   Turkish knot   |   Single knot   |   Weaving chairs

Warp and weft form the basic weave of a carpet. Not 'knot' in the common sense, but 'loop', which is led in
the knotting technology around the warp threads. Depending on which knot type is preferred, either Persian
'Senneh' or Turkish 'Ghiordes' knots, each knot is looped around two, sometimes also around three warp
threads and so on - until one row is totally knotted. After a row is completed, with the comb the knots are
struck against the weft threads. The end of the thread will be cut o with a blade. Then the weft thread will
be shot through the weave along its whole width and wrapped around the side edges. When a few rows
have been completed in this way the pile will be sheared.

Knot by knot, row by row the weavers patiently continue until the whole design gradually arises. At the end the woven edge, the so-called Kelim
forms the conclusion of the nished carpet (fringes).

In practice one di erentiates between three di erent knot types: Persian, Turkish and single.

I. Persian knot

The Persian knot, also called Senneh knot or Farsi ba , results in a one-and-a-half-times loop around warp threads. With
the Persian knot one can recognize the warp thread in each case. Between the Turkish and Persian knot there is no
di erence in quality. In design, however, the Persian knot o ers more guration possibilities; with Persian knotting,
softer lines result than with the Turkish knotting.

II. Turkish knot

The Turkish knot, also called double knot, Ghiordes knot or Turk ba , results in a double loop (double knot) around warp
threads. With the Turkish knot the warp threads are not visible in the pile. This kind of a knotting is mostly used with
geometrical, partly uncomplicated and rough patterns.

III. Single knot

Dschufti, Spanish, Tibetan knot etc.:

This knot results in only a simple loop. When bending the carpet upward one recognizes the structure. At the back of the
loop with a needle is easily extendable.
 Caution! Old and antique pieces are never knotted in simple loop technology!

IV. Weaving chairs

Practically there are two di erent weaving chairs: a vertical and a horizontal one. The work begins with the weaving of a Kelim stripe of on
approximately 3 to 4 cm at the bottom of the row. Then they start to knot the rst row. The weft threads which are on the right and left side of
the chair remain free. They are welded later to the side edges. With ner carpets, motives and color are rst designed on graph paper and then
carried out knot by knot.

The horizontal weaving chair

The horizontal kind can be more easily taken apart and transported. Therefore
wandering nomads usually prefer the horizontal chair for producing smaller
pieces.

The vertical weaving chair

The vertical chair is usually used by settled villagers and nomads. For larger pieces and ne
carpets the vertical chair is more suitable. It consists of two durable and parallel standing
bars, which are connected by transverse tree trunks at the lower and at the upper end.
Between the two transverse trees the weaving threads in the longitudinal direction become
strained.

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