In the early stage the motifs were arranged in horizontal layers which by the first half of the 20th century had covered the whole surface of the woven cloth. The aesthetic affect is achieved through the repetition and alternation of the same motif or of a group of motifs by varying the positioning of colours. The maximum skill in carpet making was reached in Moldova. Carpets decorated with concentric diamonds or groups of stripes and motifs have a greater prevalence. Such carpets with plant motif 3 to 4 meters long and 1.80 to 2.50 metres wide, are rare quality, demonstrating that weaving is an artistic handicraft.
Plant ornaments very often show stylisation of some ancestral motif, mostly the tree of life.
There are often birds among the top or the bottom branches, which are arranged on a black, green, olive or light yellow background and are surrounded by one or two frames. Through the definition of the central field the closed character of the composition is emphasised. The carpets on which the tree of life is displayed all over the entire central field are of an exquisite chromatic refinement and of rare artistic expression. The motif of the tree of life as an artistic image can be found in various forms throughout the art of all European nations. In European art this motif is found on different objects such as embroideries, dowry chests and architectural elements.