Flat weave rugs have been made for millennia. Extremely versatile and popular, flat weave rugs have no pile and are easily rolled and transported. Traditionally used for multiple purposes including rugs, bed covers, curtains, and canopies, popular flat weaves like Indian dhurries and tribal kilims can be plain weave (warp and weft are visible) or "slit-tapestry" weave where the warp is hidden ("weft faced") – the same technique used to make European Aubusson carpets. Flat weave rugs are faster to weave than hand-knotted rugs.
Tribal flat weaves are traditionally woven by nomads or semi-nomads (see Tribal & Geometric). Other flat weave rugs include Senneh kilims woven in the western Iran where they also made pile rugs and soumak flat weaves. Soumak carpets are stronger than kilims because weft yarn fibers are wrapped over two warps and under one (or over four and under two) which securely anchors the fibers to create greater durability. Kilims are often reversible, but some have warp "floats" or tag ends on the reverse; time-saving techniques that create a one-sided kilim. Traditional soumak weavings have a "braided" face and a "ragged" reverse because the tag ends of yarn are left to hang on the back. New Soumak rugs have a "clean" back.
Kilims can have a continuous single color weft or dual color continuous weft where the colors are woven as a pair ("complementary"). Most kilims are patterned which means they have a "discontinuous weft". Slit-tapestry is named after the small opening that occurs when colors are changed ("discontinued") on a vertical area of the design. When a color changes on the vertical such as the left side of a square, the weft fiber is doubled back and "discontinued" on the warp, and a new color is continued on the adjacent warp. This creates a slit or a gap.
"Dovetailing" describes the effect created when two different weft colors meet from opposite directions and are interlocked on the same warp (there is also a "double interlock" technique). Supplementary weft can be added to the existing weft in a technique called "brocading". Kilim slits are features, not flaws, whereas gaps on European slit tapestry carpets are sewn shut after weaving. Slit-tapestry technique produces sharp pattern delineation and a smooth weave whereas dovetailing creates less crisp patterns.
Flat Weave
Ivory, Pure Wool Hand Knotted, Hi-Lo Pile Neem Buft Soumak Garden Design, Oriental Rug
SKU : 403185
Exact Size: 10'0" x 14'0"
$3,518
$1,495
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Cinnamon Red, Antique Caucasian Soumak with Geometric Design, Pure Wool, Flat Weave, Hand Knotted, Clean, Good Condition, Sides and Ends Professionally Secured, Long and Narrow Oriental Rug
SKU : 402995
Exact Size: 7'0" x 11'0"
$8,176
$3,475
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Ivory, Navajo Design, Flat Weave Vegetable Dyes, Extra Soft Wool Hand Woven, Oriental Rug
SKU : 402725
Exact Size: 5'2" x 7'0"
$434
$184
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Colorful, Afghan Kilim with Chevron Design Flat Weave Vegetable Dyes, Organic Wool Hand Woven, Reversible Oriental Rug
SKU : 402765
Exact Size: 5'9" x 8'0"
$541
$230
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Colorful, Flat Weave Vegetable Dyes, Soft Wool Hand Woven, Afghan Kilim with Chevron Design, Reversible Oriental Rug
SKU : 402760
Exact Size: 5'8" x 7'10"
$522
$222
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Colorful, Vegetable Dyes Pure Wool Hand Woven, Afghan Kilim with Chevron Design Flat Weave, Reversible Oriental Rug
SKU : 402755
Exact Size: 7'1" x 10'1"
$840
$357
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Colorful, Extra Soft Wool Hand Woven, Afghan Kilim with Chevron Design Flat Weave, Vegetable Dyes, Reversible Oriental Rug
SKU : 402750
Exact Size: 8'0" x 10'0"
$941
$400
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Colorful, Hand Woven Afghan Kilim with Chevron Design, Flat Weave Vegetable Dyes, Pure Wool, Reversible Oriental Rug
SKU : 402745
Exact Size: 5'10" x 8'0"
$549
$233
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Colorful, Afghan Kilim Chevron Design, Flat Weave Vegetable Dyes, Soft Wool Hand Woven, Reversible Oriental Rug
SKU : 402740
Exact Size: 8'0" x 10'0"
$941
$400
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