Sewn Rugs Vs. Hooked Rugs

Yarn-Sewn Rugs

• Yarn-sewn rugs are made by sewing yarn through a loosely woven backing, often linen, with a continuous stitch that forms loops on the rug's surface. These loops are usually cut to form a pile. A pattern is drawn on the backing material, and this pattern is followed by the yarn stitching to create a pattern or image on the surface of the rug. Yarn-sewn rugs were commonly made during the first half of the nineteenth century, and these folk art rugs typically featured floral, animal or domestic figures and pictures.

Shirred Rugs

• Shirred rugs came into fashion in the middle of the nineteenth century, and they were made by sewing strips of fabric onto the surface of a backing material. The fabric strips may be crumpled and sewn laterally onto the backing, or they may be cut and sewn to the backing with the cut ends facing upward to form a pile. Early shirred rugs were usually small, rectangular and decorated with floral patterns.

Hooked Rugs

• Later in the nineteenth century, hooked rugs appeared in America. Often made from yarn or fabric salvaged from old clothing and burlap from reclaimed feed sacks, the rugs were more accessible to poor craftspeople than were rugs made from more expensive materials. Hooked rugs are made by pulling small loops of yarn or fabric through a coarsely woven backing material with a hook. Unlike yarn-sewn or shirred rugs, in which the pattern is visible only on the surface of the rug, the pattern of a hooked rug is visible in mirror image on the back of the rug.

Needlework Rugs

• Needlework rugs first appeared late in the nineteenth century. Made using knitting or crocheting techniques, the rugs were attractive but relatively fragile compared to those made with the earlier techniques. In some Amish rugs, knitting is combined with braiding to create complex patterns and borders.