74/131/19

A prodder used in making rag rugs for making holes in the backing of the rug and drawing the wool through. Part of the Hemeon Collection
A prodder, a tool used in making rag rugs for making holes in the backing of the rug and drawing the wool through. This prodder is of the type known as a 'shuttle hook', and consists of a short metal point set into two lengths of wood which move alternately. As the right section is lowered, the needle goes through the backing and as it is raised the left section lowers to secure the loop. The prodder is part of the Hemeon Collection of rug-making tools and thrift rugs, and is associated with the samples 74/131/43.

MERL Catalogue Form (temporary) – ‘Object name: PRODDER // Other name: SHUTTLE HOOK // … // Notes: This prodder is known as a SHUTTLE HOOK – and is factory made. It consists of a short metal point set into two lengths of wood giving an up and down movement, with a metal spring set behind metal point. // The method of use is as follows: // “The hook is held in both hands and is operated by shifting its wooden sections up and down. As the right section is lowered, the needle in it plunges through the backing. As it is raised, the left section lowers to secure the loop. The hook then gives a little jump and skips to the next position, ready to repeat the motion. A nice rhythm can be attained as the sections move up and down. A certain amount of practice is required to maintain the proper spacing. However, once you learn to operate this hook, it will travel very quickly and evenly across the backing.”’, 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.