Question:

what is a penny rug?

what is a penny rug?

Answer:

you can find things about it on line im sure, penny rugs were cut from old felted wool scraps, now most people just use felt, they really are used more to decorate tables and such as modern felt isnt really strong, the reason they are called penny rugs is they were cut in various size circles and joined together, similar to a yoyo quilt though the penny rugs werent gathered, most of the shapes were outlined in blanket stitch and sometimes the pennies were stacked two or three deep using successivly smaller circles so you got a ringed color effect. I downloaded a small penny christmas tree design last winter and i think it might have been on the debbie mum site. just put penny rug patterns into a web search and you will surely find some. lots of the penny rug designs also were edged in tongue shaped pieces, these were often called pen wipers, they would make a penny rug for the top of a desk with the tongues all around it and the master of the house had a handy pen wiper in the tongues, when they got too messy they could be replaced. enjoy your hunt.
It is a type of applique made from felted wool. A penny rug is a folk art style of decorative appliqué, traditionally made from felted wool. Primitive shapes were cut out and sewn onto a wool background using an embroidery blanket stitch of contrasting colors. Dating from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century, a penny rug was not used on the floor, but instead as decorative table coverings or wall hangings. This folk art appliqué was often finished with a tongue-shaped border. Coins such as pennies were used as templates for the circle shapes which were layered onto the bordering tongues. Hence the name penny rug.

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