Rug of Ages

When relaxing, our “Curator Cat” Frankie particularly enjoys the rugs at the Harrison House:

Braided rugs like this one are a special American craft. Though they’re sometime associated with early colonial days in the 1700s, one of the first real historical records we have that mentions braided rugs is from a Massachusetts craft fair in 1822. At that fair and in others later, braided rugs were “noticed and admired,” especially for the variety of colors they included.

And what’s up with those colors, anyway? Braided rugs make use of fabric scraps. Often, the craftsperson would use whatever fabric was at hand—worn out or extra pieces from clothing, for example. The fabric strips were braided, and then the braids were stitched together in a flat circle or oval shape (if you look closely in the photo above, you can see the stitching).

If you want to learn more about the history of braided rugs, check out this article by the Valley Forge Rug Braiding Guild. And in the meantime, stay cool!