Gray Anatolian Hand-Knotted Wool Rug, Şahzade Series

Nothing about this rug repeats, which also means the photograph is the rug and not a sample of a run. Gray Anatolian Hand-Knotted Wool Rug, Şahzade Series — multicolored motifs on a plain gray ground, tied by hand in Afghanistan on a cotton base, 153 × 210 cm (5'0" × 6'11"). Orange, turquoise, plum and gold-yellow come up out of the gray, arranged as medallion figures across the field with symbols set into the corners.

01The origin of the pattern

Each motif has been drawn its own way, so what looks at first like repetition turns out to be variation held to a rhythm. The gray underneath is what makes that work. It is calm enough to carry four saturated colors without the whole thing becoming a shout. Afghan weaving of this kind is worked from memory instead of a drawing on paper, and this piece was tied with the double knot, which roughly doubles the time at the loom and keeps the pattern edges sharp for decades.

02What the yarn is

The surface you touch is 100% wool. Below it, cotton forms the frame, carrying a trace of recycled synthetic thread for strength. It gives off almost no fluff and very little dust. Look at it twice and you will find something you missed. Hand-knotted in Afghanistan, from a weaving tradition centuries deep. The surface underfoot is 100% wool; the frame beneath is cotton with a trace of recycled synthetic thread. Double knot, which is why the piece took months and why the drawing stays sharp. Orange, turquoise, plum and gold-yellow medallion figures on plain gray. Corner symbols, each one drawn differently. 153 × 210 cm (5'0" × 6'11") — an entrance hall, a side room, or a small seating group. Very low shedding, and easy to vacuum. One piece; the variations in it belong to this rug alone. Gray grounds are usually chosen to play safe, and this one is the opposite of that.