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 have started 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 factory-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 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 a 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 is 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 wool 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
maybe 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