File:Isparta museum Large ‘kilim’ 021.jpg

English: Large ‘kilim’. Yörük slit tapestry. Woollen weft on woollen strands.

The horizontal row of rhombic motifs are ‘nazarlık’ (= amulet’), protection against evil eye. The zigzag pattern of the upper and lower borders are called ‘suyolu’ (running water), a symbol of fertility; it is combined with a ‘tarak’-motif (comb), expressing the hope of a future happy marriage.

Kilims are produced by tightly interweaving the warp and weft strands of the weave to produce a flat surface with no pile. Kilim weaves are tapestry weaves, technically weft-faced plain weaves, that is, the horizontal weft strands are pulled tightly downward so that they hide the vertical warp strands. When the end of a color boundary is reached, the weft yarn is wound back from the boundary point. Thus, if the boundary of a field is a straight vertical line, a vertical slit forms between the two different color areas where they meet. For this reason, most Turkish kilims can be classed as "slit woven" textiles. Slits produce very sharp-etched designs, emphasizing the geometry of the weave. Weaving strategies for avoiding slit formation, such as interlocking, produce a more blurred design image.

The weft strands, which carry the visible design and color, are almost always wool, whereas the hidden warp strands can be either wool or cotton. The warp strands are only visible at the ends, where they emerge as the fringe. This fringe is usually tied in bunches (and sometimes into more elaborate structures), to ensure against loosening or unraveling of the weave.