Counting knots on an oriental rug is easy to learn. Unfortunatrly most "expert" knot counters do not realize one knot is often counted as two knots and with the use of unplyed strands of yarn, one knot has been mistaken for eight knots or more! We must first learn what one knot looks like from the rug's back.

On the back of a handknottted rug you will see thousands of tiny squarish "bumps." We must learn the relationship between these "bumps" and the knots. These squarish "bumps" are the visible parts of the knots that loop around the warp threads as shown below.

Every Persian and Turkish know has two loops but only some rugs show both. most rugs show only one of the loops. A few rugs show one loop but just part of the other lopp.

Before counting knots we must be sure we are counting each knot only once.

RUG KNOTS THAT SHOW TWICE (ONE WARP LEVEL)

WHY TWICE? When all the warp threads are on the same level, both loops (bumps) show from the back of the rug as shown here WHICH RUGS DO THIS? All Pakistan, Bokharas & trical rugs from Iran, Turkey & Afghanistan, etc. HOW TO SPOT Each bump will always have an identical twin bump next to it

the above knots as each is seen from the back

RUG KNOTS THAT SHOW TWICE (TWO WARP LEVELS) WHY ONCE? When there are two layers of warp threads, one of the two knot loops goes "upstairs" and out of view as shown here. WHICH RUGS DO THIS? Chinese, Indian and many other rugs do this. HOW TO SPOT Look around for single "bumps" that do not have the identical bump next to them. the above knots as each is seen from the back