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Antique and contemporary tribal rugs and weavings
from Morocco
Welcome to our
Moroccan kilim rugs page.Our rugs are sourced from
a souks/medinas near the Atlas mountains from a
places such as Essaouira,Agadir,Marrakech .Bartered from
Berbers.
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Mexican Kilim Flat Weave
Mexican flat weave design close knit
weave.Kilim tightly weaved with natural dyes featuring
blue (indigo) red (henna) orange (saffron) yellow
(saffron) white (from white sheep) pink (saffron mix) 100
% wool hand-woven from women from the Atlas mountain
regions/Berber tribes.Sourced from Essaouira, Morocco.Heavier
kilim.Reversable as a plain kilim.Kilim code.3.
Close-up 1
Close-up 2
Length 205 cms / 81 inches x width 146
cms / 42 inches. £
225.
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Kilim or kelem rugs are an ancient style
and designed with long, narrow slits in the fabric that are
arranged in a stepped pattern to avoid weakening the rug. Kilim
rugs are small,medium or large can be any size to decorate any
house or hotel and are becoming very popular . Arrow
type variations of this construction uses a diagonal slit along
sides of rugs. Kilim rugs from Morocco are fine works of
art and each one is as individual as the weaver who has spent months
toiling on each carpet.Women from the
Atlas mountains often work in co-operatives in work groups.They lovingly create individual masterpieces
time cosuming using ancient weaving techiques as the
women in the picture below shows.She is using a hand loom,we
in Britain used these in our pre industial revolution days.Imagine
the sheer hard work sweat,and tears to create these rugs.Its no wonder
they haggle so hard to obtain their best price.To us in our all
too comfortable homes,think well, its just a carpet.Well to
them a rug represents 100's of hours effort,time
and labour.They must get enough money to survive.We did'nt
see much evidence of
a welfare state on our first visit to
Morocco.
Hand loom
weavers.Using traditional methods.100 % wool these rugs take months
of hard work by women co-operatives from Atlas regions of
Morocco.
Kilim rugs are considered
a type of tapestry rug woven from fairly harsh, thick wool. Kilim
artistic expression is highly regarded,when compared to the
price and there is a fantastic variety of unique and stimulating
designs available. As a flatweave, they are arguably not as
practical as some other rugs you might buy in the uk.However they
look great in the living room,nice with a coffee table on top.Or as
a centrepiece. They are reversable so can be turned over
and displaid on both sides.They look best in my opion
on wooden bare floorboards.Or a wooden parquet or block
flooring.They look lovely with our sheesham Indian
furniture ranges (well I would say that would'nt
I)
Kilims are hand woven by the nomadic peoples in
Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Russia, China, Pakistan, India and Morocco. They
were originally intended as a pliable warm carpet that could be
placed on a sandy desert surface and easily rolled up and packed on
a camel or horse for travel. The wide range of designs represent the
different influences from the numerous tribes and
regions. Moroccan rugs can be mixed with embroidery and
tufted woolen flecks of camel hair. The Atlas mountain tribal
rugs feature bright Mediterranean colors of gold orange and
turquoise.Most are reversible, but rarer collectables have
loose ends on the back and are becoming increasingly more
valuable.Natural dyes are used to colour
especially,saffron,henna,and vegetable dyes help create bright
red,orangey,yellow tapestries you can see in the photos.
For centuries these traditional rugs many can
be dated as far back 5000 b.c.have decorated the world.Traded all
over the world,shawls worn by many people and
camels! |
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3
Weave Technique rug 
3
weave technique patchwork kilim. Techniques
used /embroidery/woolen patchwork design.Close
knit weave on kilim,patchwork tufted wool from
camels patterned,with embroidery.Kilim
tightly weaved with natural dyes featuring blue (indigo)
green (mint) red (henna) orange (saffron) white (from white
sheep) black (from black sheep) pink (saffron mix) 100 % wool
hand-woven from women from the Atlas mountain regions/Berber
tribes.Sourced from Essaouira, Morocco.Edged border heavy
kilim.Reversable as a plain kilim.Kilim code.9.
Close-up 1 Close-up 2 Close-up 3
Length 269 cms / 106 inches x width 169
cms / 66.50 inches. £
550
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Allsorts Flat
Weave
Allsorts kilim
flat weaved.Unusual design mid brown background with
embroidered motifs and tufted camel woolen shapes raised from
the tightly weaved kilim.Sky blue top and bottom borders.White
tassles on the bottom edge.Reversable on back as a flat
brown weaved kilim.Blue (indigo) natural dyes.
Close-up 1
Close-up 2
Length 163 cms / 64 inches x width 143
cms / 56 inches. £
350.
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Arrowhead Flat Weave
Arrowhead striking coloured,flat weave design.Close knit
weave multicoloured triangular pattern.Kilim weave with
natural dyes featuring purple,blue (indigo) green (mint) red (henna)
orange (saffron) white (from white sheep) black (from black sheep)
pink (saffron mix) 100 % wool hand-woven from women from the Atlas
mountain regions/Berber tribes.Sourced from Essaouira,
Morocco.Reversable side has slightly faded colours.Kilim
code.10.
Close-up 1
Close-up 2
Close-up-3
Length 241 cms / 95
inches x width 147 cms / 58 inches
£
400.
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Hexagonal Arrowhead Flat
Weave
Hexagonal arrowhead flat weave design.Close knit
weave bright colours tight multicoloured tented
pattern.Kilim weave with natural dyes featuring blue (indigo)
green (mint) red (henna) orange (saffron) white (from white sheep)
black (from black sheep) pink (saffron mix) 100 % wool hand-woven
from women from the Atlas mountain regions/Berbers tribes.Crimson
red on borders.Sourced from Essaouira Morocco.Reversable
as a plain kilim with faded colours.Long white tassles on bottom of
rug Kilim code.8.
Close-up 1
Close-up 2
Length
254 cms / 100 inches / width 165 cms / 65 inches.
£ 350.
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Cleaning
tips..
Kilim rugs should also be cleaned routinely, and be
subjected to more thorough cleaning at longer intervals.
In olden days rugs were hung across a wash-line
and beaten on both sides to dislodge the dirt and grit,
a method still highly regarded, and still practiced in many parts
of the world, but mostly impractical under modern urban
living conditions. Today, most routine cleaning is done by vacuuming.Three main
points to note when vacuuming a kilim area rug are: don’t use high
suction settings, vacuum on both sides, and don’t vacuum the fringe
since with repeated applications some of the fringe may be torn off.
Less frequent periodic cleaning consists
of washing the kilim rug, and the consensus of expert opinion
suggests this should be done every three to five years or…”when a rug
begins to look dirty”. These Western authorities,
presumably addressing their compatriots, advise sending kilim rugs out to be
washed by professional services specializing in this type of work, not
dry cleaners or general cleaning companies who often use chemicals
that can cause damage. These are safe recommendations with which we
find no quarrel. We would be remiss, however, not to share with you
some “secrets of the trade”, the knowledge and practices of Moroccan
housewives who grew up with kilim rugs, having learned from
their mothers and grandmothers the cleaning procedures they still use. In
a survey among experienced housewives was done to find out how they do it in
practice.It was found very few variations in their methods, and when we
asked if they were not worried about the bleeding of colors all
respondents expressed complete confidence in the color-fast
qualities of their kilim rugs.
The procedure followed is to place
a kilim rug on a flat surface, then wash it with a relatively
condensed solution of grated pure olive-oil soap dissolved in cold
water. This solution is then run through the kilim rug with a) the
edge of the palm of the hand, b) the rounded upper edge of a wood
scouring brush (the type where the bristles are embedded in a wood
body by which the brush is held in the hand, i.e., without a
bristle-free handle), and c) a medium-sized cooking-pot lid with
rounded lip. In applications a) and b) the soap solution is run
through the kilim rug along its length without using too much
pressure, in relatively short strokes, with each stroke overlapping
the previous one. In this way the dirt is loosened and moved
progressively toward the end of the rug. In application c) the
reported movements are circular/oval, but gradually progressing
toward the longitudinal rug end. These procedures are repeated
approx. 3-5 times on both sides of the rug and repeated again
several times with clean rinse water to get the remains of the soap
out of the kilim rug. For drying, the kilim is never hung but laid
out on a flat surface - preferably slightly inclined - and left,
alternating both sides to the sun, until thoroughly dry.
The methods described above are still used not
only in Morocco but in many other parts of the world, but the
contemporary metropolitan kilim owner will probably find it more
convenient to send it out to be washed by a professional, qualified
cleaning service. |
| Reasons to buy
a kilim rug from atpine.com
Reversable flat woven.
Natural dyes sustainable
products.
Sourced from the workers who
make them.
Hand made on hand looms energy
efficient.
Hard wearing lasts for years.
A great investment as they can
gain in value can be sold as antique kilims.
Reversable double sided rugs just
turn them over for summer and winter wear.
Can be rolled up in a small handy package.
You need a rubber backing for them to
rest on,for added protection.
We can supply rubber backing upon
request.
Hard wearing double knotted flat weave stand up to anything.
Unique designs not
massed-produced individual as their creators.
Looks great with sheesham
furniture in a farmhouse traditional setting.
Can be cleaned easily vacuumed or
beaten on a washing line.
Cleaning using soap
and water,not bleach or chemicals.
Dyes dont run hard wearing
wool tight hand loomed weaves.
We can deliver in person so you
see it before you buy.
No deposit required,cash on delivery to
most areas see delivery map.
Well... they just look great.
Hopefully cheaper compared to other
shops.
Bulk buying
discounts apply when more than 1
purchased. |
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Arrowhead Flat Weave
Arrowhead flat weave design.Close knit
weave extreemly tight multicoloured triangular pattern.Kilim weave
with natural dyes featuring blue (indigo) green (mint) red (henna)
orange (saffron) white (from white sheep) black (from black sheep)
pink (saffron mix) 100 % wool hand-woven from women from the Atlas
mountain regions/Berber tribes.Sourced from Agadir,
Morocco.Reversable as a plain kilim.Kilim code.10.
Close-up 1
Weave detail close-up 2
Close-up 3
Length 296 cms / 116.50
inches x width 197 cms / 77.50 inches
£
400.
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Arrowhead
Flat Weave
Arrowhead flat weave
design.Close knit weave softer colours tight
multicoloured triangular pattern.Kilim weave with natural dyes
featuring blue (indigo) green (mint) red (henna) orange
(saffron) white (from white sheep) black (from black sheep)
pink (saffron mix) 100 % wool hand-woven from women from the
Atlas mountain regions/Berber tribes.Sourced from Essaouira
Morocco.Reversable as a plain kilim.Kilim code.5.
Close-up 1
Close-up 2
Close-up 3
Length 250 cms / 98
inches x width 145 cms / 57 inches.
£ 350.
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Arrowhead Bold Flat Weave
Arrowhead bold and
soft colours,flat weave design.Close knit
weave multicoloured large triangular
pattern.Kilim weave with natural dyes featuring blue
(indigo) green (mint) red (henna) orange and
yellow (saffron) white (from white sheep) black
(from black sheep) pink (saffron mix) 100 % wool
hand-woven from women from the Atlas mountain
regions/Berber tribes.Sourced from Essaouira,
Morocco.Reversable side has bold/bright
colours.Kilim code.7
Close-up 1
Close-up 2
Length 241 cms
/ 95 inches x width 147 cms / 58 inches
£ 450.
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3 Technique Flat Weave
Technique
3 flat weave
kilim/embroidery/woolen patchwork design.Close
knit weave extreemly tight multicoloured triangular
pattern.Kilim tightly weaved with natural dyes
featuring blue (indigo) green (mint) red (henna) orange
(saffron) white (from white sheep) black (from black
sheep) pink (saffron mix) 100 % wool hand-woven from
women from the Atlas mountain regions/Berber
tribes.Sourced from Essaouira, Morocco.Woolen strands on
edged border heavier kilim.Reversable as a plain
kilim.Kilim code.6.
Close-up 1
Close-up 2
Close-up 3
Length 253 cms / 100
inches width 156 cms / 61.50
inches £
400.
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Kilim rugs piled up
high at our suppliers in Morocco,easily stackable.
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Warning to
any tourists that are thinking of going to Morocco to
purchase rugs.If you come across this place,its on the road
from Marrakech to Essaouira.Be very careful when visiting, La
Kasbah at the village of Hay Al Bassatine,Sidi El Mocktar,Rue
Essaouira.We had a bad experience on our 2nd visit to
this rug shop.Where they short changed us,switching £10
notes for £ 20 ones.Be aware of slick under
hand tricks when counting your money out.They try to
confuse you.Dont say we did'nt warn you!
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