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Shirred and embroidered rug, early 1800s. The maker of this shirred, embroidered rug creatively filled in the blank areas of the rug with animals that appear to dance around the central motif.
The earliest known method of shirred construction was called stitched center shirring. Strips of fabric were worked onto a threaded needle to form folds of fabric. These shirred sections were then coiled (with the wool standing on its edge), and stitched together to form a rug. True shirred rugs are made entirely of shirred fabric, with the shirred sections sewn together to form a reversible rug. Old shirred rugs are rare because construction is so fragile: once the thread breaks, the piece unravels, and unless skillfully repaired, the rug is lost.
The large center medallion in this rug is composed of a circle surrounded by smaller circles of concentric bands of narrow sewn-on strips of fringed wool fabric (shirred), all surrounded by a scalloped border of needlework. The star medallions in each corner are made of strips of wool fabric. The birds, animals, and flowers are embroidered. The rug measures 35″ x 55″ long. The rug was probably made in New England between 1800 and 1830.
Another variation on this technique is the stitched or sewn shag rug (not pictured here), which is made by gathering, or shirring, strips of fabric and sewing them to a base fabric. The back of these rugs are mostly bare, showing simply a pattern of stitch work rather than the fully developed image found on the reverse of a shirred or hooked rug. The view of the back is the distinguishing characteristic; another example of how the back of the rug can tell the story.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WINTERTHUR MUSEUM
In the early 1920s, Henry Francis du Pont began purchasing outstanding examples of decorative arts objects made or used by Americans between 1740 and 1860. By the mid-1930s, he was recognized as America’s foremost collector of American antiques and an icon of interior design. Furnishing Winterthur with the finest Americana, he set out to transform his boyhood home from a private residence into a country-place museum of the highest caliber. Located in Wilmington, Delaware, Winterthur is now a destination for those interested in both horticulture and antiques; it has become a museum of American heritage, and it is home to many exquisite hooked rugs.
Edward Sands Frost of Biddeford, Maine, was the first commercial pattern maker for hooked rugs. In 1870, he began to stencil patterns in colors, and the business was so profitable that he retired in 1876. The company that purchased his stencils retained his name but added “& Co.” to the title. Most of the stencils are now at the Maine State Museum. The pattern pictured here is undoubtedly one of his originals, although it was printed after he retired. The partially hooked burlap piece measures 30″ x 42″. (See Rug Hooking Magazine March/April/May 2007 for an article on Edward Sands Frost.)
Two horses face each other in this rectangular rug. Stylized red flowers occupy each of the four corners; diagonal, multicolored stripes run between the corners in shades of red, beige, brown, blue, and black. This rug measures 40″ x 47″.
This rug was hooked through an older ingrain or Scotch carpet instead of a jute or linen foundation. A flowering tree in an urn shades two figures beneath the tree. Buildings at either end are balanced by sheep and gray-green and brown trees. The blue sky is offset by the flowers and roof in shades of rose and red. This rug is hooked with cotton and wool fabrics, and it measures 23″ x 67″. Research on older rugs shows that rug makers often used whatever was available as the foundation for a rug. The maker of this particular rug did just that: the hooker recycled whatever was available for the foundation and used cotton fabrics for the hooking, true to the old principle of waste not, want not.
The back of a hooked rug tells a great deal about its construction and the time and circumstances in which it was created. The foundation and the materials used in hooking are clearly visible, giving us hints of the materials and techniques available to the craftspeople of the time. It is always interesting to see how colors survived the test of time. The gentle muted colors at the surface may be surprisingly bright deeper into the pile of the rug.
The hooked rugs of Winterthur have stories to tell. I was fortunate enough to tour Winterthur and view some of the extensive textile collections. We spent time in the textile preparation area and saw several rugs that were not currently on display in the public areas of the museum.
When we see old hooked rugs, we wonder about the story behind them. Unfortunately, most old hooked rugs do not come with a documented history or a story of the maker, so it can be a challenge to learn about them. The Winterthur Museum can solve some of the mysteries when its experts examine the foundation and hooking materials the maker used. What foundation is it on? What materials were used to hook the rug? What techniques did the rug makers use? Some of these techniques are unfamiliar to rug hookers of today, and materials change through time. Nevertheless, it is fascinating to ask the questions and examine the rugs to try to date a rug and identify its maker.
The 1,000-acre Winterthur estate lies five miles northwest of Wilmington, Delaware. The main drive to the house winds for a mile over gently rolling farmland, meadows, and woodlands. The azalea and natural woodland gardens were all planted under the watchful eye of Henry Francis du Pont. Winterthur is now a museum that has grown out of one man’s lifelong devotion to horticulture and collecting Americana and antiques.
Yarn-sewn rug. The foundation of this yarn-sewn rug was constructed from four pieces of linen joined together to make one large piece. In this style of rug, a secondary foundation of loosely- woven cotton gauze is attached to the linen fabric only by the yarn as it is sewn through. The raised loops are then sheared, or clipped, to form an even pile. The stitch used in this rug is a variation of a reed stitch. Winterthur dates this yarn-sewn rug to between 1770 and 1820. It measures 31″ x 66″ and its likely place of origin is New England. The technique of yarn-sewn rugs predates hooked rugs. Previous research about rug making in early America has categorized yarn-sewn rugs as a subset of hooked rugs, which follow, in fact, an entirely different construction method.
Old rugs offer a fascinating look into and a strong connection to the past. The principal of “waste not, want not,” so apparent in Winterthur’s rugs, has been reborn and is alive and well with rug hookers today. Many of us use recycled wool in our rugs, and we enjoy the thrill of the hunt for just the perfect piece of wool.
Enjoy the rugs pictured here. Let them inspire you to “make do” and recycle as these rug hookers did. And let them inspire you to visit the textile collections near you, to discover some of the hidden treasures that await your appreciation.
HENRY DU PONT’S PASSIONS
Henry Francis du Pont’s two great passions are represented at Winterthur Museum. His first, collecting decorative arts objects made or used by Americans between 1740 and 1860—including hooked rugs—fills the museum’s rooms. According to financial records, in the 1920s, he spent more than $20,000 on a group of 25 hooked rugs purchased from F. W. Ayer of Bangor, Maine. Other rugs were purchased from Ralph W. Burnham of Ipswich, Massachusetts. (See Rug Hooking Magazine‘s January/February 1991 for an article regarding Burnham’s Trading Post.) He also purchased rugs from Tiffany Studios and the John Wanamaker department store.
His second passion, gardening, is evident in the beautiful grounds surrounding the house, and the décor of Winterthur, which includes lovely floral hooked rugs.
During the 1950s, the du Pont family moved out of the Winterthur house to a new home built on the estate. In 1951, Winterthur Museum was opened to the public.