Wayback Wednesday: Handmade Rugs

 

Wayback Wednesday this week is looking at handmade rugs.  I recently watched a British video about hooked rugs.  The lecturer mentioned that in Britain, people used what they had.  In contrast, she suggested that in the U.S. folks used kits instead.

I know that some printed rug backings were sold.  Some of them you can see hanging up in this old photo of a local drygoods store:

I don't know about the rest of the country, but I know in my state women didn't just rely on kits.  Many were designed by the makers and possibly because it was a more frugal way to create.  On this blog post at the Silly BooDilly, there are many rugs featured that weren't kits and women used what they had or drew things themselves.

I don't know if my great-grandmother made hooked rugs or if her own mother did.  But she sure did make braided ones.  Grandma was always making something and I remember watching her braid.  My mother has three of these pieces at her house.  Here are two I took photos of:

There's a lot of gray and dark green tones in these rugs from Grandpa's clothing.  One of the reds was an old coat of one of my great aunt's.  

Do you remember having handmade rugs in your world while you were growing up?

Have a safe and happy day!