Rag rugs were commonly made in households up to the middle of the 20th century by using odd scraps of fabric on a background of old sacking. Rag rugs became widespread during the
Industrial Revolution to 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.
Prodded Proddy rugs are made, as the name implies, by prodding or poking strips of fabric through hessian or linen from the back side. Rag rugs made this way have many names, such as clippies, stobbies, clippers and peggies. In
Northumberland they are called proggy mats, and in
Scotland they are called
clootie mats. They were often made for more utilitarian use such as by the back door, their pile hiding dirt well. The
Museum of English Rural Life has a collection of rug-making tools and thrift rugs. ==Woven==