History of
Weaving Rag Rugs
History of Rag Rugs
These rugs originated in England and Europe, and in New England they became a
favored choice. Rag rugs are produced in a plain, flat weave style. Rag rugs are woven
on hand or machine looms where the weft is made of strips of cloth. They can be a solid
color or a mix of many colors. Rag rugs may consist of irregular stripes in bright cheerful
colors.
American rag rugs were a specialty in Colonial New England on the frontier during the
westward U.S. expansion movement. Rag rugs were made in Europe and as a practical
and vernacular floor covering, came to America with the early immigrants, and passed
down through the generations, mostly produced by recycling worn clothing or other
textiles. In the 1900’s rug making traditions were dispersed and sometimes modified to
take advantage of the local availability of materials. Different techniques flourished in
different sections of the country with woolen rugs becoming well established in New
England due to proximity of the woolen mills. Where railroads provided economical
transportation, wool and cotton fabrics produced on the east coast were made available
for rug making in other areas of the expanding U.S.
Rag scraps were a product which, sooner or later, everyone in America possessed.
The scraps were comprised of worn out fabric from old clothing, bedding, and
household furnishings that was too small or worn to continue in its previous function.
Flax and wool were the most prevalent raw materials, depending on the region, for the
rag rugs in the 18th century. Each material requires much time to process. Flax needed
months to grow, dry, and spin the fibers. Wool needed to be sheared; carded, or wiretoothed
brushed, used to disentangle wool fibers prior to spinning; spun; and shipped
from England. These were precious materials that could not be wasted, not even burlap
sacks could be wasted; they were used in many of the bases of rag rugs. The material
was cut into strips and converted into a rag rug. Rag rugs provided a way for
every household to have a floor covering or carpet to provide protection from drafts or
keep the floor clean and protected.
The 19th-century heyday of rag rugs, has left very few examples as they were not
treated as heirlooms. A new rug was often made each winter and the old ones rotated
around the house, from hearthrug to kitchen to back door, with the old doormat either
thrown away or used outside to cover the potato clump or compost heap. Thus very few
survived.
The types of rag rugs are categorized by weave and style. The most common were
hand woven rugs.
