Shirred rug 'Apple Tree Farm', 1820–1830 (Historic New England 1991.1525)
Object · not yet checked at the source
- Date
- 1820–1830
- Place
- Cogswell's Grant, Essex, Massachusetts (original to the house)
- Held by
- Historic New England
- Number
- 1991.1525
- Materials
- wool
- Themes
- Rug-making techniques, Hooked & handmade rugs
Cite this source
Research notes
How it works: in chenille shirring, a fabric strip is stitched lengthwise down the middle and gathered tight into a caterpillar-like strand, which is sewn flat onto the foundation along the pattern. In bias shirring, short bias-cut strips are sewn on edge (Historic New England; Rug Hooking Magazine). Rug Hooking Magazine says shirring was most common in 1820–1850. Conflict: Rugmaker's Homestead dates shirred rugs to about 1870, but museum-dated examples are earlier. This object: polychrome wool on a brown and black ground with a narrow blue border, described with the term 'shirring'. Gift of Bertram K. and Nina Fletcher Little. Other examples: HNE 1991.1519 (shirred, 1825–1850), Winterthur 'Elephant' rug (Rhode Island, 1810–1825, bias and chenille shirring on cotton), and a bias-shirred hearth rug, probably Maine, ca. 1830 (Caputo collection, Colonial Williamsburg exhibition). Sources: https://www.historicnewengland.org/explore/collections-access/gusn/3034 · https://rughookingmagazine.com/Rug-Hooking-Articles/Bias-Chenille-Pleat-Bundle · https://rugmakershomestead.com/shirred.html · https://antiquetrader.com/art/exhibit-of-important-early-american-hooked-rugs-opens Research note (Oct 2026): from search results; pages not opened.