Hooked Rugs of the Midwest: A Handcrafted History

Theart of rug hooking, which consists of pulling dyed and cut wool fabric piecesthrough a backing, has typically been associated with New England, the Southand Canada. Yet rugs from the American Midwest have contributed just as much tothe development of the craft and its continuing popularity. The story of hookedrugs in the Midwest is a ragbag blending of romance, folklore, myth and commonsense told through the colors of barns and sky, golden wheat, farm ponds, redclay, red brick, steel, glass and fountains. In this vividly illustratedhistory, Mary Collins Barile shakes out the dust from the Midwestern hooked rugwith the vigor its unique blend of utility and imagination deserves.