Wigan Album

My mam always made peg rugs out of old coats and other thick cloth etc. looking back they were works of art. I loved sitting on the rug in front of the fire. It was always Winter when she made them - something to do before we had a tv. Bless her.

Yes Veronica.didnt they work hard with them..they were lovely and soft too...nothing went to waste then.

Same here Veronica, I remember my aunt making those peg rugs.They were definitely works of art.It was a toss between cutting the coat up, or putting it on the end of the bed,to keep your feet warm. No duvet in them days.

Thanks Ron, and made to last too, they have got similar on Amazon for £20 plus, though I can't see them lasting for 100 years. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=rag+rugger&ref=404_search

Seems that pegging a rug is a pastime that is coming back in fashion Veronica, though probably not done out of necessity like folks once had to do. Those peg rugs with being thick were also handy in winter not just in front of the fire, but to put behind doors to keep out the draughts, that is until crocheted sausage dogs stuffed with old stockings and tights were made for draught excluders.

Thanks for sharing Ron, I also used one of those at my grandmothers she called the material we cut up purrins, also served my time on dollytub and the glass washing frame, my favourite was putting the clothes through mandle.

I wouldn’t even know where to start on a rug! There was a backing on them a bit like sacking that’s probably what it was. I’m more of a knitter she could do that as well as crocheting. They certainly did work hard …

It was sacking Veronica, cut to size and then marked out with whatever design was required, us of a certain age have definitely been involved in pegging rugs, i've never spoken about it to my grandchildren but i will now after this reminder.

That's a bit posh, we made peg rugs with a "peg" made from an old dolly peg. I remember working as a team round gramdma's table, that is till the gas mantle packed in!! Edna we made ours from the sleeves cut from the "eiderdown"

Brian,come to think about it I'm pretty sure my Mam used a clothes peg with on side snapped off..and as a young one I definitely remember the gas mantle,coming back from the shop with it was agony for fear of knocking it..they reminded of a butterflies wings they were that fragile.

We made the modern version which was using ready cut pieces of wool. I remember when I was little the peg rugs but would not know whether they were made at home or bought off the market?

Maureen, 'half' a clothes peg was definitely used. I would have thought that's why it was called 'pegging a rug'. You ok ?

Yes Roy, I'm fine, are you okay too,I keep seeing your name and was wondering if it was the Roy that I knew,

I'd written in Ron's other post (Worswick) as to how when you got roped into rug making and got to cut strips of cloth you'd end up with a sore thumb from the scissors, also when my mother had lost or mislaid her thing she used for peg rugs which she'd got from Tickle's years ago, she asked around in late 1980's or early 1990s, but no one knew what she was on about, so she did make one from a broken clothes peg as she had done before for us to use. I do remember seeing an implement like as in Ron's photo but never knew what it was for, but now know its called a Latch Hook, with which as PeterP says you can also use to make rugs with woollen yarn.

Hi Maureen, it is me and i'm ok thank you, glad to hear you're ok.