They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To…

I was going through photos and came across a LOVELY rug – a REAL rug – take a look at this Kazak rug (from the Caucasus Mountains region) – it is on top of a present-day knock-off:

The REAL thing covering up a knock-off

Look at the sheen of the wool, the richness of those colors. It is so vibrant, it almost looks alive. So much character.

That’s the difference between a RUG and a FLOORCOVERING. A rug is a piece of someone’s life, a part of a weaver’s soul, laying in front of you. It’s rich in character, and care, and tradition. It’s not a mass-marketed commodity, it is one piece crafted by one skilled weaver, for one person to eventually enjoy.

I was searching for something to write about… I saw this photo… and it put a big smile on my face. I remember the day I “met” this rug and photographed it.

I hope someone comes across a photo of me someday and smiles the same way. “That was the day I came across something – someone – special.” 🙂

I get sad sometimes thinking about how “rug weaving” has become “rug tufting”, and how the weaving tradition is slowly dying off because it takes real time and heart to weave a rug. Those ingredients usually don’t fit into a market trying to bring cheaper things faster to the marketplace.

But then I remember that REAL rugs, the good ones, survive for centuries, while the knock-off’s die off in years. So there will always be rugs for me to enjoy, and I’m going to keep looking to “meet” them instead of getting distracted by all of the noise of lower standard unoriginal and uninspired commodity area rugs.

As I come across weavers still living the craft and creating rugs, I will share these with you. This is an art, and absolutely one worth enjoying.

– Lisa

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