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Two rag rug samples on a sack backing. The first is made from strips of sacking sewn closely together with some threads pulled out to create a frayed edge, and has a 'plait stitch' edging in wool. The second is made using the pulled out threads from the first sample - these are bunched together and knotted into the backing. The samples are part of the Hemeon Collection of rug-making tools and thrift rugs.

2 rug samples: wool

MERL Catalogue Form (temporary) – ‘Object name: SAMPLES // … // Notes: (1) Sample using strips of sacking sewn closely together on sack backing. Threads are then pulled out to give the strips frayed edge (tufted effect). ‘Plait-stitch’ edging in wool // (2) Sample using threads from previous sample – several short threads put together – and knotted into sack backing. // Mrs Hemeon met a man who made these rugs as a boy in Berkshire.’, MERL Miscellaneous Note, Greta Bertram, 10 December 2013 – The Hemeon Collection of rug-making tools and thrift rugs (74/131/1–74) was put together by Maidie F. Hemeon. Mrs Hemeon was interested in the tradition of ‘thrift’ rugs – rugs made using old fabrics and home-made or home-adapted tools. This type of rug has many names, including ‘rag’, ‘proddie’, ‘peggie’, ‘hooky’, ‘proggy’, ‘clippy’ and ‘bodgy’ rug. These rugs became widespread during the Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century, but by the 1920s the craft was dying out except in areas of poverty or where tradition had a stronger hold. The necessity for thrift during World War II brought a brief revival, but it did not last long. Mrs Hemeon published a letter in the June 1970 edition of the Women’s Institute ‘Home & Country’ magazine in which she expressed her ambition to trace and preserve all the tools used in the craft before it was industrialised. She hoped to build up a display of samples, materials, tools and coloured photos of finished work in use, for demonstration, exhibition and educational purposes, and to simulate interest in making rag rugs as a living craft rather than as the remains of a dead one. She received many donations in response to the article, and in due course the collection came to MERL. It is likely that some of the samples in the collection were made by Mrs Hemeon. Further information can be found in the MERL Archives, D79/31.

Rug, Sample

Fibre, wool, Fibre

Stitched, Knotted