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PERSIAN BAKHTIARI ORIENTAL RUGS

BAKHTIARI HISTORY

Bakhtiari oriental rugs woven before 1950 were examples of tribal rugs, which are traditionally smaller rugs, with wool yarns hand knotted onto a wool foundation. The nomadic lifestyle of these sheep herding tribes, moving their stock from winter to summer pasture, dictated the necessity of smaller and easily movable looms, using the wool from their sheep for the foundation and pile of their rugs.

Sometime in the middle of the last century, these nomadic tribes began to settle in various villages in Western Iran. Weaving looms that did not have to be seasonally moved could be larger and sturdier, making the production of larger size rugs possible. The use of cotton for the foundation of the rugs also became more and more common. Baktiari rugs woven today use wool pile knotted on cotton foundations. 

BAKTIARI ORIENTAL RUGS - WAVING LOCATION TODAY

The Bakhtiari oriental rugs of today are woven in a large number of villages located in an area of Western Iran known as Chahar Mahal.

It must be noted the weavers of Bakhtiari oriental rugs are typically not of Bakhtiari tribes, but rather a number of tribes under the rule of Bakhtiaris. The rugs coming from this region are all referred to as Bakhtiari rugs. The rugs produced by these formerly nomadic tribes share common designs, structures, and color palettes.

Often, place names are used to refer to the origin of the pattern and the quality of the rug, rather than to the place of actual manufacture. As an example, Saman, Hori, Chahal Shotur and Bibibaff are names used to refer to certain Bakhtiari rugs.

The Bibibaff have a high knot density and are considered one of the best, whereas the Hori are of looser weave and inferior quality. The Chahal Shotur and Saman rugs are considered to be of lower quality than the Bibibaff but are of good quality nonetheless.

Generally speaking, Bakhtiari rugs are made of very good wool with the knots thoroughly beaten down to make the rugs thick and solid. They are considered to be one of the most durable and long-lasting of Persian rugs.

BAKHTIARI DESIGN

Bakhtiari oriental rugs have 2 predominant designs that are relatively easy to recognize, making them good examples for our study of Oriental Rugs by Design.

1.       Garden Panel Design (Khesti)

This is the most common design with individual squares (sometimes rectangular, diamond, or hexagonal) decorated with animals and plants. Each compartment will have a different (and complementary to the others) color. 

The motifs include trees such as the willow and the cypress, grapevines, vases, and birds, etc. Direct influences from the designs of the nearby Persian Isfahan rugs include tree-of-life motifs as well.

To read more about Persian Bakhtiari oriental rugs and their design and construction complete with photos, please continue here.

HOMEMADE ESSENTIAL OILS AIR FRESHENERS

Homemade essential oils air fresheners, using pure essential oils in any of several different ways can result in a healthy, holistic way to freshen the air in your home. Some of these homemade projects make excellent gifts as well.   

When unpleasant odors linger in your home, and, especially if company is coming, do you automatically reach for the Glade or the Febreze?   

Air conditioning in the summer and cold weather in the winter may prevent us from opening our windows and letting in fresh air. But do you really want to introduce chemically laden, possibly toxic odors into your indoor environment?   

There are better ways to freshen the air in your home. One of these is with the use of essential oils. One advantage to using essential oils to freshen the air is the added holistic benefit that each individual oil can add to the home environment. The aromatic qualities for each of the oils listed below is from the 8^th edition of Modern Essential Oils.

THE BASIC RECIPE

The following basic recipe can use a variety of essential oils, either one at a time or in combination, and is relatively simple to do: 

You will need small glass containers with wide mouths. An empty scented candle holder would work well or a small canning jar. Most 'dollar' or arts and crafts stores carry a variety of glass containers.

Water, Gelatin, Salt, and an assortment of Essential Oils (see below), as well as a few optional items, are all the rest of the materials needed for this project.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ounce Unsweetened, Unflavored Gelatin (4 Envelopes of Knox Powdered Gelatin.)
• 2 cups Cold Water, Divided.
  
•  1 Tablespoon Salt or a Splash of Vodka (to deter mold growth and bind the oils to the water--can also use rubbing alcohol.)
  
• 20 to 30 Drops of Various Essential Oils. Optional: Food Coloring (preferably natural).
  
• Disposable Chopsticks or Skewers would be helpful to stir the mixture in the jars.
  
• A Candy Thermometer (see below). 

DIRECTIONS:

• Bring one cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan.
  
• Sprinkle the gelatin over the boiling water and whisk until smooth and all the gelatin is dissolved.
  
• Add the salt or Vodka (or alcohol) and the second cup of cold water and whisk. Set aside.

• Make sure to let the above solution cool to about 100 degrees. Almost all essential oils have a flash point which means the scent will evaporate if they are heated above a certain room temperature. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature.
• Add the desired amount of essential oil and food coloring to the jar(s). Pour the gelatin solution over the essential oil and food coloring. Stir until evenly colored.
• Allow everything to cool, uncovered, on a heat-proof surface. When the solution reaches room temperature, place it wherever you want a lovely scent!

6 Essential Oils Air Freshener Recipes

Below are 6 essential oil recipe based on the above basic recipe. You can also feel free to experiment with your own favorite oils.

CAUTION: If doing this project with children, please make sure to keep all essential oils out of their reach. Some cannot be ingested without harm and all are meant to be used very sparingly. To get the most out of your essential oils, make sure to buy only pure, therapeutic-grade ones.

For the recipes and additional recipes using essential oils as air fresheners as well as an essential oils air freshener spray, please continue reading here.

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WALKING TO END ALZHEIMER'S in SEPTEMBER

and

FUNDRAISING FOR ALZHEIMER'S in AUGUST!!

Here's how YOU CAN HELP US for this very important cause...

IN AUGUST

USE OUR SERVICES and earn Gift Certificates.

We offer the following Gift Certificates for you during our August Alzheimer's Awareness Fundraising.

• Earn $5.00 in Gift Certificates for every $50.00 spent on rugs or textiles cleaned at our plant.

• Earn $15.00 in Gift Certificates for every $150.00 spent on carpet cleaning, tile & grout cleaning or furniture cleaning in your home.

Feel free to share your Certificates with family or...

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to our Alzheimer's Fundraising Team.

See below** to donate or join our team!

IN SEPTEMBER

WALK WITH US to end Alzheimer's!

This is such a special event and we are so excited to be part of it.

To celebrate, we will be holding a drawing during our Walk for Alzheimer's in September of three $200 Certificates toward any ABC services.

YOU COULD WIN one of our gift certificates worth up to $200 during the Walk to End Alzheimer's in SEPTEMBER! 

Please join and/or sponsor **our ABC team
with a donation to enter in the drawing.

PLEASE NOTE:

We will be accepting donations thru

September 16th.

The walk is September 17th.