Handmade Qashqai design rug

This enchanting tribal style rug displays exquisite colours and a charming design. 

This handmade Qashqai design rug has a light blue colour field with rust-red double medallion focal point and border. The design is particularly captivating with a geometric theme showcasing a twin medallion and field adorned with six peacock emblems as well as an assortment of small filler motifs including rosettes, botehs, dogs(?) and s-hooks. 

Learn some more about this handmade Qashqai design rug

This charming geometric design rug was handmade in Afghanistan. The design is based upon a Persian Qashqai rug. In recent times, innovative Afghan carpet weavers and producers have been busily reworking ancient carpet patterns, infusing these age-old themes with a more contemporary take. 

The Qashqa'i, from which this Afghan rug derives it's inspiration, is a confederation of nomadic tribes from Fars province, Persia. Historically the Qashqa'i were pastoral nomads who migrate with their livestock on a seasonable basis. Although as times have changed from nomadism to more settled agriculture and other vocations many of the Qashqa'i have settled into an urban way of life.

The rugs made by the Qashqa'i are known for their intricate geometric patterns, and colours of red and blue. 

The materials in this blue Qashqai rug

This 6x4 Afghan rug is made from natural fibres: wool and cotton. 

This rug has a wool pile that not only looks nice, but is durable too. The woollen yarn is naturally dyed and hand-spun. The advantage of hand-spinning the wool is that is creates a sturdier fibre, and therefore a hard-wearing rug.  

Usually, Persian Qashqai rugs are woven with woollen warps (although cotton is also known to be used - perhaps suggesting an urban origin). The weavers of this Afghan Qashqai rug have used cotton for the warp threads. The warps are the earliest yarns to be added to the carpet loom before the weaving starts. Cotton is a sensible choice for use as a warp thread because of it's strength. 

How this Afghan rug was made

This attractive blue and red rug was handmade by time-honoured carpet weaving techniques. The woollen pile - the colours and design, which we find so alluring - was made by the method of hand-knotting. 

The art of hand-knotting is an ancient rug weaving and time-hungry process. The pile of this hand-knotted rug is created by the weaver securing tufts of coloured yarn which is tied onto pairs of warp threads. The weaver ties the knots in horizontal rows across the loom. When the row of knots is finished, weft threads are inserted between the warps and are beaten into place. This is repeated over and over and the rug gradually takes shape. The many different coloured knots work in unison to create the pattern of the rug. 

It's incredible to think that this approximately 6x4 Afghan rug contains probably over 300,000 knots within it. 

Laying this Qashqai design rug in your home

You can position this handmade rug pretty much anywhere in your home. It's a durable quality and meticulously handcrafted with hard-wearing, high quality natural fibres. 

It's an especially attractive rug with superb colour combinations and interesting tribal themed design. It would make an excellent hearth rug, but it's hardy enough to be at home in an entrance hall. 

Key details: 

• Country of origin: Afghanistan
• Size: 177×118cm / 5’10″x3’11″ 
• Thickness: 7mm
• Pile: Wool, hand-knotted
• Warp: Cotton
• Age: New