If you are developing an interest in rugs, or if you want to buy one with some knowledge under your belt, you should know the common terms that are used when rugs are discussed. In alphabetical order, here are some words and phrases that will help you understand what a rug vendor or rug expert is talking about.

Abrash – term used for the changes in color of a handmade Persian rug. The change occurs because of an altered yarn or dye color during the process of the actual rug making. Antique rugs normally have a change in color naturally, but for some who prefer the more rustic look, abrash can be intentionally crafted to make the rug look older.

Aubusson weave – a French method of weaving by hand, also known as tapestry weave.

Pile weaving meanwhile, is the opposite. Rugs are made by knotting. Thus, the other name of knotted weaving.

Carding refers to a process where wool fibres are smoothened by tugging them trough paddles with spikes.

Denier is a unit of measurement for the thickness of yarn. A thick yarn or fibre is said to have a high denier, and vice versa.

Flat Weave – this is another kind of weave that is not knotted or piled. Examples of flat weaves are dhurries, a wool or cotton rug with floral prints that originated from India, and kilims, rugs with geometric patterns that originated from the Near East.

An Axminster is like a carpet or a type of loom. It was discovered in a town in England called Axminster, thus the likeness in name.

Rugs that use yarn into a canvas lattice are called Needlepoint rugs.

The fine wool from the underside of a sheep is called kork, and it is used to make certain rugs.

Luser means the shining quality and brightness of the fibres and yarns used to make rugs.

Kork is an important material for making wool rugs. It is extracted from the underside of the sheep.

If we’re talking about the luster quality of a rug, we are referring to its Luser.

A circle on the center of a rug, often in Oriental designs may have caught your attention. It is called a medallion.

Pile weaving refers to creating a rug by forming knots. This common method of rug manufacture is also known as knotted weaving.

Finally, if you see a yarn on the loom, that’s called a Warp. The Weft is the yarn that is found across the warp.

Decorating with rugs has never been so easy with these heart shaped rugs.