A Family Heirloom- My Grannies' Rag Rugs!

I want to share with you some of my family's antique braided rag-rugs.  These were made by my great grandmother's from both sides of my family tree.  All the rugs and chair cushions you see here are still enjoyed daily on our farm in West Virginia.

The rugs all date from the 1960s- 1970s and were made in New Creek, West Virginia.  Although they both probably learned to make rag rugs in the 1930s, this prolific rag-rugging period was later in the grannie's lives.  This would have been a time when they were still active but had more free time for crafting. 

The fabric yarn used in the rugs came from old clothing- some of the clothing belonged to my family while other pieces were donated from the community.  My great-grandmother's also helped process scrap fabric into yarn for a local weaver who made loom woven rag rugs

I love how the fabric in the rugs serve as a time capsule.  So much brightly colored polyester and nylon fabrics from mid 20th century fashion.  The green and orange fabric below was a pair of groovy trousers!

These synthetic fibers are very color fast and strong!  See how brilliant the color is despite the fact they have been used in high traffic area of our home for decades.  This is why I always encourage people to repurpose polyester clothing and fabric waste into rugs. 

Polyester can take more than 100 years to decompose in a landfill.  Make life easier for the protozoa and reuse synthetic fabrics to make YOUR great-grandchildren an heirloom textile!

This tradition of repurposing materials and minimizing waste is mindset and personal challenge I honor at Last Chance Textiles. 

Shop our Upcycled Collection Now!