Hooked Rugs

212-585-1900

Hooked rugs as they are known today have been made since the 19th century. As machine-made carpets made their way into the homes of rich people, there came an increased desire among the less well-to-do to have floor coverings in their homes as well. For many this involved using whatever scrap materials could be found in order to fashion a relatively primitive rug. Although hooked rugs began as a craft for poor people, over time hooked rugs have evolved into an art form of their own. While some hooked rugs are still made to look like early, more primitive hooked rugs, other hooked rug designers are using sophisticated techniques to create rugs of incredible beauty. At Oriental Rug Care NY, we understand the importance of hooked rugs of all types, from the relatively primitive antique hooked rugs of the 19th century to the modern, sophisticated hooked rugs being created today.

Around 1830, many rich people in the United States began to acquire factory-produced rugs for their floors. This lead to a desire among the general populace for some type of floor covering, and in New England in particular the creation of hooked rugs became a popular solution. To create hooked rugs, scraps of fabric were pulled through a relatively stiff pre-woven base, such as burlap. Burlap was the base of choice for many years as it was the same material used for bags of animal feed. Once all the feed was used up, the bag then became a free material that could be used as the base of a hooked rug. The scraps of fabric used to decorate the actual rugs consisted of literally any fabric that wasn't usable for any other purpose. The designs of hooked rugs in the 19th century tended to be very simple, using everyday objects such as pots of flowers or farm animals for inspiration.

In the 20th century, Pearl McGown established a set of formal rules for the creation of hooked rugs, giving them more respectability than they had previously enjoyed. One of the most important changes she made was employing strips of wool and no other fabric when making hooked rugs. The use of wool in hooked rugs has helped secure their popularity today, as wool rugs have properties that simply cannot be replicated with synthetic materials. Over time, hooked rugs have evolved into two distinct styles: fine hooked rugs and primitive hooked rugs. The primitive hooked rugs look and feel more like their 19th century counterparts, but still usually use wool as their primary material. Fine hooked rugs use thinner strips of wool and can be as sophisticated in design as any Oriental or European rug, depending on the artistic sensibilities of the person making the hooked rug. Themes used in hooked rugs vary from nature, floral motifs, animals, kitchen themes, fruits and vegetables, and more.

At Oriental Rug Care NY, we understand all types of hooked rugs, from the earliest hooked rugs of the 19th century to the finest hooked rugs of today. We can clean and restore any hooked rug, analyzing each rug to determine the best methods of cleaning and restoration. If you have a hooked rug, look no further than Oriental Rug Care NY for all your hooked rug cleaning and restoration needs. We offer free pick-up and delivery to our local customers, and we also accept shipping from all 50 states. No matter where you live, Oriental Rug Care NY has the knowledge and experience to take care of all your hooked rug cleaning and restoration needs.