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Featured Rug of the Month

March 2009

1930's era hooked rug

I found this rug in an antique store and was immediately charmed by it.  Not by it's beauty, in fact, I think the jumbled colors are strange and wonderful.  This must have been a project where the rug maker was mainly interested in using up scraps of leftovers, and never mind if I run out or if the colors don't make perfect sense!  Unlike the perfect artwork that belongs above the mantle, this rug has always been meant for utility.  Studying the nonsensical color patterning, I really feel like I am meeting the person who made this weird and fantastical rug.

On closer examination however, I was surprised to find out that it is hooked with strips of silk stockings, not wool fabric or yarn.  This was a trend in rug hooking in the early 20th century, popularized by people like Dr. Wilfred T. Grenfell of Newfoundland, who advertized in ladies' magazines to have women send him their old stockings, which he had commissioned into his famous "Grenfell Mats."  This odd example is certainly not one of his designs, but merely an amature following in the style. 

Now, silk stockings can be dyed, just like wool, but considering the unorthodox color choices in this example, mostly browns and beige, I feel the maker simply employed all the leftover stockings she could get her hands on, and let the chips fall where they may.

The rug is in excellent condition.  The colors seem to have faded very little, there are a few small loops that have come out, but ultimately, I think that this rug may have been spared overuse, on account of it's humble appearance.  Well, to me it is a treasured object.  Every time I look at it, I want to hook a rug!  Wouldn't it be wonderful if someone treasured one of my creations 70 years from now?

Do you have a rug you would like to see featured on this website?  E-mail me!  Every rug has a story, whether it is one you've made, inherited, or a found treasure like this one, and we love to hear all about them!  If your rug is featured, you will receive a free half-yard of linen or an "I'm a HOOKER and PROUD of it" totebag!  To view the many rugs that have already been featured, go to our archive.