PENNY RUGS

For years, I've been interested in Penny Rugs.  Their origin dates back to the Civil War era, when homemakers used wool scraps from old clothing, etc. to create mats or rugs.  Using coins as templates, they created circles and stitched them with a blanket stitch to a background fabric.  They weren't necessarily made as floor rugs, but more often decor coverings for beds, tables, and mantels. 

Recently, inspired by the blog site of Ashton Publications, I decided to try my hand at making a penny rug since it appears I will never find an antique one in my price range. 



Wool fabric is very expensive, so the search began to find affordable materials.  Since this is raw-edge applique, the wool needs to be felted so that it doesn't ravel.  The options are:  Wool felt (different from craft felt) which sells for about $18 a yard in a limited color selection at Jo-Ann Fabric.  I found my wool felt at Ruth's Stitchery in Colorado Springs in a bunch of yummy colors.  Another option is

wool that has been over-dyed and felted and is available on Etsy, and also at some quilt stores.  This is expensive at about $3.00 for a piece 5" square; but, oh, it is so luscious and I can't resist it.

A third option is to purchase new wool fabric at approximately $30 and up for a yard.  Then, it is necessary to felt the wool yourself by washing it in very hot water and drying it in a hot dryer.

And finally, another option is to find 100% wool garments at the thrift stores; deconstruct them and felt them yourself.

I used wool from all of the above sources so that I could have a variety of colors, textures and patterns.

This was a fun project; and was easy to accomplish using a #22 chenille needle and #5 Perle cotton for the embroidery, taking a couple of weeks working in the evenings.

This is a small piece measuring just 12" x 20".

Now, I'm thinking about another project using wool and embroidery; but not necessarily circular shapes.  We'll see!!!

I'm joining the following blog parties this week.  Please check them out for lots of inspiration.

Little Red House for Mosaic Monday
Smiling Sally for Blue Monday
A Stroll Thru Life for Table Top Tuesday
Savvy Southern Style for Wow us Wednesdays
Jann Olson for Share Your Cup Thursday
Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special