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20 Percent Off All Bulgarian Kilim Rugs in June and July

In June and July 2010, we're having a 20-percent-off sale on all of our new and antique kilim rugs, including the museum-quality kilims.

Our kilim rugs, notable for their brilliant colors and markedly diverse patterns, are handwoven in Bulgaria. The new kilims, which often use some cotton yarn in the base for durability, are made of wool that is produced in Kyustendil and colored with either natural dyes or English dyes. Our increasingly rare antique kilims are made entirely of wool and colored with natural dyes. The art pieces are scattered with motifs, symbols, totems and patterns -- some representative of the weaver’s natural environment, some whimsical designs unique to the artist, and some traditional and ancient motifs.

To see additional kilims from our collection, please click here. To see our museum-quality kilims, click here. You also can e-mail us at graberdesignsaol.com or at the Contact Graber Designs page.

Kilims were originally produced by nomadic peoples, especially those with their own sheep herds who had their primary raw material close at hand. Using traditional designs, they made the kilims primarily for their own use. Because the kilims can be folded, they were easily transportable when the herd needed to move. The weavers and their families used the kilims as their tables, as bed covers, and as body wraps when it became cold. They hung them inside their tents for insulation and for color, or hung them over the doorways to their shelters.

When rugs from the region became popular in the West in the mid-19th century, pile rugs or tufted rugs were more sought after than the flat-woven kilims. Westerners liked the feel of softer, Persian-style rugs on their feet. One story circulating in the Balkans is that kilims were once used as wrapping – as burlap is used now – for the pile rugs shipped to the West. In many ways, kilims’ unpopularity served the craft well, allowing for the maintenance of the traditional patterns. Whereas pile rugs tried to keep up with modern trends, altering patterns to please contemporary tastes, the kilims continued to be made in the ancient motifs, so the art was not lost or watered down. The rugs are designated by their names and by the region from which they came (for example, Traditional Chiprovski “Zelki”). Created in the Balkan regions of Chiprovtzi, Kotel, Pirot, and Anatolia, the kilims are listed with the traditional adjective-making suffix “ski.” Chiprovtzi and Kotel are towns in Bulgaria, Anatolia is now in Turkey, and Pirot is now in Serbia.

Exceedingly durable, these kilims should last for several generations. Some of our antiques already are 80 to 150 years old and still maintain their color and texture. Kilims can be placed over carpets or on hardwood, tile, or linoleum floors, and also can be used as wall hangings or drapings over couches and chairs. Whenever placed over floor surfaces, rugs should have a rubberized pad beneath them to protect both the rug and the floor surface, and to keep them from scooting.

Spot cleaning can be done with cold water and a mild detergent, if needed. If the kilim gets wet (soaked), it may need a pass with a hot iron when it dries. If the kilim is soaked, it must hang out to dry immediately – it cannot lie in its own moisture or some of the colors may seep. Sometimes crusty foods can simply dry and then be scraped off with a fingernail. In most cases, a shake and a vacuum will be sufficient.

All of our current kilims are posted on this and subsequent kilim pages, though we add new kilims regularly. Some of our new kilims can be special-ordered in your choice of colors, patterns, and sizes, so please contact us with your inquiries. See also our kilim pillow shams, kilim purses, and kilim placemats.

Below is a photo of Tzanka, a 68-year-old Bulgarian woman who produces some of our kilims. Tzanka has been a weaver all of her life. Her loom is located in her living room, but some women prefer the kitchen so they can watch the stove while they weave. She’s weaving an ancient motif, the “tree of life,” in a medallion arrangement.

To see additional kilims from our collection, please click here. You also can contact us at graberdesignsaol.com.