74/131/31

A hairpin U used in making rag rugs from wool. The wool is wound round the U, and then the coil is sewn down the centre.
A hairpin U is a tool used in making rag rugs from wool. It consists of a hairpin-shaped piece of metal. The wool is wound round the U, and then the coil is sewn down the centre onto the the backing of the rug and the U removed. The process is then repeated next to the previous coil. This U has some wool attached to show the method of working. It is part of the Hemeon Collection of rug-making tools and thrift rugs, and is associated with the samples 74/131/36–37.

Hairpin U: metal

MERL Catalogue Form (temporary) – ‘Object name: Hairpin ‘U’ // Other name: (HAIRPIN) // … // Notes: This is a factory-made METAL ‘U’ – shaped like a large hairpin – heavy gauge – with wool attached showing method of working // Same method of working as for 74/131/30 [Wool is wound round elongated ‘U’ of metal. The coil is then sewn down the centre (while still on the ‘U’) onto sacking – the ‘U’ is then slid out. It is rewound and placed as close as possible next to the previous coil, and the process repeated. When the canvas is covered with wool in this manner, it can then be cut leaving a fine fluffy surface.]’, MERL Miscellaneous Note, Greta Bertram, 10 December 2013 – The Hemeon Collection of rug-making tools and thrift rugs (74/131/1–74) was put together by Maidie F. Hemeon. Mrs Hemeon was interested in the tradition of ‘thrift’ rugs – rugs made using old fabrics and home-made or home-adapted tools. This type of rug has many names, including ‘rag’, ‘proddie’, ‘peggie’, ‘hooky’, ‘proggy’, ‘clippy’ and ‘bodgy’ rug. These rugs became widespread during the Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century, but by the 1920s the craft was dying out except in areas of poverty or where tradition had a stronger hold. The necessity for thrift during World War II brought a brief revival, but it did not last long. Mrs Hemeon published a letter in the June 1970 edition of the Women’s Institute ‘Home & Country’ magazine in which she expressed her ambition to trace and preserve all the tools used in the craft before it was industrialised. She hoped to build up a display of samples, materials, tools and coloured photos of finished work in use, for demonstration, exhibition and educational purposes, and to simulate interest in making rag rugs as a living craft rather than as the remains of a dead one. She received many donations in response to the article, and in due course the collection came to MERL. It is likely that some of the samples in the collection were made by Mrs Hemeon. Further information can be found in the MERL Archives, D79/31.