Rag rugs have always been the specialty of women living in the country or on the frontier. The rugs haven't really ever been recognized or appreciated by the needle work 'elite'; in fact they have more often than not been snubbed as not worthy of attention. So there really is only the sketchiest history available for most types of rag rugs. Many types indeed have no written history at all and what is known is a matter of oral tradition passed down through families. 

In general though, rag rug methods were brought to the shores of North America with immigrants to the new world. With some rugs, they were made only in particular regions of the country or only by certain ethnic groups. As settlement of the frontiers pushed westward in the 1900's, the rug making traditions were dispersed, and sometimes modified to take advantage of the local availability of materials. During this period, it appears that creative pioneers may have created new techniques for making rugs as well. Different techniques flourished in different sections of the country, with the various woolen rugs becoming well established in New England because of the proximity of the woolen mills. It was not until the railroads provided cheap transportation though, that wool and cotton fabrics produced on the east coast were available for most rug making in other areas. Prior to that, indeed the rugs were mostly produced by recycling worn clothing or other textiles. 

From about 1890 to 1910, rag rugs experienced a period of popularity, influenced by the "Arts and Crafts" movement. Designs became more elaborate, and many types of rugs were widely made. With the coming of World War I and the "Roaring Twenties", interest in traditional rug making waned, to the point where many rug making traditions were forgotten (see letters at end). During the Depression of the 1930's interest in rag rug making gained again, but the techniques used were by that time pretty much limited to hooked, 3-strand braided, loom woven and crocheted rugs, and the emphasis on the practical aspects of the rugs over rode most of the artistic developments earlier in the century. 

The specific history of particular types of rugs varies widely from place to place, depending on the ethnic traditions of the population and the materials that were available. What was happening in the southeast was quite different than what rugs were being made in the northern states and provinces during the same period, so no broad general statement about the history of rag rugs will hold true everywhere. 

Compounding the regional differences in trying to determine the history of rag rugs is the astonishing array of names. Some types of rugs have a dozen different names by which they were called. In other cases the same common name meant one type of rug in one place and a completely different sort of rug in another place. As if that weren't enough, from the 1930's on, entrepreneurs have attempted to promote various rug making gadgets and often renamed the traditional rug with a new title to make it seem more exotic. (This is still going on.) Because of these business practices the confusion over rug names has been exacerbated. In recent years craft publishers have adopted the same tactic, using a "made up" name for a traditional rug for marketing purposes. (We use only traditional names and/or descriptive names for all of the types of rugs, classifying them in groups with similar constructions. Other common names will be listed only as secondary. And "made up" commercial names are only used to clear up the confusion they have caused.)
 

Occasionally, there is a cryptic or indirect reference to a rug making technique in an old cookbook or magazine. (See our Table of  Contents for some of these.) And sometimes people wrote to the 'experts' of their day asking for information....

THE MORE THINGS CHANGE...
The following questions appeared in Needlework Magazines in the 1920's (70+years ago). I'm still answering the same types of questions today. The thing to notice is that even by the twenties, many of the traditional rugs were unknown to the days' "experts". --Diana

Needlecraft Magazine, Sept. 1925
Question: I have seen some table-mats or hot dish mats which looked almost as if woven, but on close inspection, seemed to be made of a strand of material worked over with crochet. Can anyone send something of this kind? Mrs. R. J., New Hampshire 
Note: The editors of the magazine did not respond. The request refers of course to the 'string crochet' method (See tour stop # 8, or the book "Crocheted & Fabric Tapestry Rugs"). 

Needlecraft Magazine, Sept. 1929 
Question: I am very anxious for information regarding the making of rag rugs over the cart-wheel foundation; These are made by sewing strips of rags over the wheel-rim. Should also like suggestions for color-schemes and system of placing the colors.-- Mrs. M. B., Massachusetts Editors response: Many times the editor wishes she knew everything about all things! Because there is nothing which pleases her more than to be able to solve a problem for one friend or another. However, there is always the comforting reflection that an "open question" is sure to bring just the information wanted--everyone is so willing to lend a hand. We have seen a rug, apparently made by winding strips of cloth over a circular frame, somewhat after the colonial-mat method. While we had not the opportunity to examine it closely it did not seem quite practical, although attractive as a novelty, and we are very sure it is not the one asked about. So we leave the question open--as are all questions which afford an opportunity for further helpfulness. 
Note: The reader was, of course asking about the wagon wheel rugs (see Rugmaker's bulletin #5).

SOME LETTERS ABOUT RAG RUG HISTORY

I am interested in the history of crocheted rag rugs in the southeastern U.S. I volunteer at a Living History Farm in Greenville SC. The farm depicts life in upstate S.C. in the 1820's. Would crocheted rag rugs have been made by farm/pioneer wives in that time and place? Thank you very much. Marion M. 
Dear Marion, I'm afraid that you've asked quite a controversial question (it is amazing what people can create controversies over, isn't it?). Whether the various cotton rugs were made that early is hotly debated among textile historians, and generally it boils down to when the factory-made fabrics became widely available. There is general agreement that the knitted and crocheted rugs were probably fairly common by the 1840's. But they had to start earlier than that. So, I would suggest that a bit of local history would answer your question for your particular locale. If there were cotton fabrics being produced in the area around the 1820's, you would probably be safe in portraying crocheted rugs as authentic for the period there, even though in other parts of the country they wouldn't have been in general use. Hope that helps, DBG 
Dear Diana, It helps a lot. Several textile mills were built in Greenville County in the 1820's. They multiplied quite rapidly once the area's water power and availability of cheap labor (nearby mountain subsistence farmers wanting steady work). During the first 60 years of the 20th century, Greenville became known as "The Textile Center of the World." If any area of the South had manufactured cotton cloth, we probably did. Thanks for your prompt reply. Marion M. 
Dear Marion, I knew that South Carolina was a big textile producer, but really didn't know when the mills were built. With the mills, there would have been a lot of 'waste' materials that would have been very attractive to the 'mountain folk' in particular. So I think you're quite safe in portraying the crocheted rugs as authentic in your area during that period, and it is likely that there were other types of rugs made from the same materials. DBG

Hello from Minnesota! I am a crafts person (such a broad term) that truly loves social and domestic history. Being able to duplicate the rhythms of the past in 20th century living is a challenge. Most recently the Swift County Historical society has asked me to do a rug demonstration for a fair they are hosting. The requirements are to demonstrate rug techniques in a hands on learning atmosphere. These rugs in progress which the people would aid in making would represent the techniques that that would be common place in a prairie home during the settlement of the area. Let me first say that the area is predominantly of Scandinavian descent (Sweden, Norway and Denmark). To the south there is a strong German influence with pockets of Irish scattered in and between. All seemed to converge in the area between the late 1870's to the early 1920's. Although separate in their own right I have a feeling that each distinct nationality leant it's own flavor to the handwork of the region. My plans are to have in progress a wagon wheel rug loom (it's history is pretty clear), a braided rug.. three strand-- maybe six? (what do you think) and a hooked rug in progress. 

The wagon wheel rug will be just right. On the braided rug, the Scandanavian tradition of 8 strands is well known, but also the narrower braids. As a suggestion, I'd get a three strand rug going, since people are familiar with the braid (so it could be hands-on), and also have a set up for either a six or eight strand so that people could learn the braid, and it needn't be attached to an in-progress rug. The hooked rug is more of the English/New England/Maritime Canada association than with the groups you've identified-- but that's not to say that it wasn't being made in Minnesota. One kind that I think you could incorporate pretty easy (and is popular at demonstrations--especially with the kids) is the two string knotted shags. It was one that allowed for the use of the *tiny* scraps of clothing. Because of that, it was widely made. Another is the basic hit-or-miss patched rug (layers of scrap wool on a burlap or wool base, with the pieces secured by blanket stitches around the edges. That is definitely Scandanavian/Northern Europe, and later developed into the 'penny' and 'tongue' rugs with more formalized patches. 

There is a two harness loom in the museum but it's heddles are made of string and it's in need of some repair and serious TLC. I have also thought about false braiding, the subject of one of my earliest correspondences to you. Is naalbinding remotely attached to rug making? Could I learn it in two weeks? The loom is probably not the best for a demonstration if you're working several projects at once anyway. I'm not sure of the false-braiding as authentic for the early period on the plains-- but certainly by the late 1800's it would have made its way there. 

There is a long tradition of naalbinding in rag rugs, but no, you don't want to try to learn it in two weeks. The technique is 'unusual' enough that people have a hard time picking it up for an hands-on project. *However* if you can find someone who does naalbinding rugs, it would be great as a demonstration for people to see. 

Or do the above mentioned techniques seem appropriate to the time and place. Would rug making have been a type of floor covering on the prairie?

The time frame you mentioned (1870-1920) covers a wide array of changes. In the earliest days of settlement on the prairie with soddys and dirt floors, the first order of business was to get the dirt floor sealed (often "shellaced" with fresh manure to form a tighter surface than with the dirt alone). At that point a 'thick rug' on the floor would be counterproductive, since it would hold the soil moisture from the floor and be damp and subject to rot. Instead a heavy canvas floor-cloth (sometimes sealed with linseed oil to block the soil moisture) would have been used, that could be swept out or removed to be shaken clean. I have read accounts where the cover from a 'covered wagon' was used for that purpose. 

Rugs wouldn't have been made much until at least a wooden floor was available. Most likely the availability of wood would have been tied to the coming of railroad--which is a date your historical society could find for you. 

The other consideration for the type of rug that would have been made are the availability of the raw material. New England had sheep-production, water-powered woolen mills, etc so there was wide availability of woolen cloth scrap for rugs, thus the wool braided and hooked rugs from an early date. But in Minnesota that may not have been the case. I'm more familiar with the sequences in the plains a bit farther south (Kansas and Nebraska) and home rug making with wools there wasn't much done until quite late, after 1890 or thereabouts. Previous to that it was pretty much cottons, because wool for clothing was so 'dear' (as in the old adage about from the worn out coat, make a jacket, from the worn out jacket make a vest, from the vest make a quilt....). There were numerous ways that wool clothing was made-over for other wool clothing, but not for rugs much, except in the most affluent households. Cottons, linens and linsey-woolsy (a cheaper blend of wool and linen) would more likely have been used. 

There really isn't a clear cut history on rag rugs, because it varies so much region to region. So much depends on what materials were available, the climate and social customs of the area and the ethnic origins of the population. Because your area had a largely northern European origin, they would have a rug making tradition, but they may have modified it considerably to accommodate the materials on hand and the conditions at the time. 

I'm not exactly sure and I thought be a folk artist you might have some idea as to the time line of that particular technique. I know it was in New England in the mid 1800's so there is a chance that it could have followed some of the settlers out here but on the other hand many of them came straight off the boat hopped on the train and then purchased a wagon ( if they were lucky It was not uncommon for people to actually walk to their destination I shake my head ion wonder when I think about it) only to arrive to a literal sea of grass and a house made of sod. (I am in my mind's eye seeing a picture in the museum that is dated 1910 and the people are of course unsmilingly and standing in front of a sod house). Yes, there were more developed places in the area but I have to tell you that according to what I know it was pretty primitive. Any insights that I can share with these people would be greatly appreciated

I've done a lot of 'period' research (with things written at the time, not later 'interpretations') and picked up, I think, a fairly good feel for the pioneering settlement of this country. You're right, life in the first settlements on all of the frontiers was very basic. Their concerns first were just sheer survival, and the niceties came last. The television versions of the snug cabin with glass in the windows, a wood burning stove and rugs on the floor is a fiction. What is depicted there is a combination of the much later developments-- which usually occurred when the pioneers could afford a wood-frame house. There isn't much record from the time about any pioneer woman being sentimental about leaving a drafty cabin or leaky soddy for a 'real' house, where she could have "rugs on the floor". 

So I guess what I'm trying to get across is that--for the earliest settlers-- rugs wouldn't have been a big part of the picture. More likely they would have used any scrap of fabric for a patchwork quilt since keeping warm was a much higher priority. Rugs would have waited until the 'second wave' of settlement when the basic supply lines had been better established.

The needle work section of the museum is lacking some historical data. If you think that there are other rug techniques that would be better for a hands on project for a group let me know. If you think that some of the afore mentioned techniques are out of line with I'm shooting for please say that too. Sometimes people don't care about accuracy but I do. I want to try and stay as close to the actual type of rug techniques used in the era as possible. Any insights or help that you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

I'm glad you're striving for accuracy and hope all this stuff helps. It really is just a matter of picking your date for your area to decide which rugs would have been 'authentic'. In 1870, there would have been only those rugs associated with the ethnic traditions of the settlers. But by the 1910-1920 period you could choose almost any rag rug technique, since by that time there was pretty wide dispersal of all the methods due to the "Arts and Crafts Movement", and the availability of needleworking books and magazines. Best, Diana