Hooked Rug, circa 1860

Decorative hooked rugs are made by pulling loops of yarn or fabric through a stiff woven base, historically made of burlap. Loops are pulled through the backing material by using a crochet-type hook mounted in a wood handle. The rug's design derives from the creativity, resourcefulness, and dexterity of its maker. Rug hooking began in America in the early 1800s by rural women eager to create something useful from scrap materials. Over the past 200 years, it evolved from an expressive art of necessity to a deeply creative endeavor.