When we were growing up, half our house was heated with woodstoves in winter, so the trick was to get from the bedroom to the kitchen by hopping from one hooked rug to another without touching the freezing floorboards with our bare feet. Several of these rugs dated back to the mid-19th century, when rug hooking was not only a household chore but a favorite pastime, especially for frugal Yankee women. It was a way for them to recycle clothing remnants, provide warmth underfoot, and express themselves artistically with designs depicting animals, landscapes, patriotic themes, floral motifs, and geometric patterns, in a wide range of colors. Today these early American hooked rugs are more likely to be found hanging on the wall than lying on the floor, as a growing appreciation for such handcrafted folk art has made them increasingly valuable.

CRAFTED FROM SCRAPS
Given the primitive look of American hooked rugs, people often assume the craft flourished in colonial times. In fact, "they're more Victorian than anything else," says Jessie Turbayne, author of The Complete Guide to Collecting Hooked Rugs: Unrolling the Secrets (Schiffer). In the 1850s the lifting of trade restrictions led to a plentiful supply of salvaged burlap sacks that had been used to transport coffee, grains, and teas from the West Indies. The loosely woven jute fabric was ideal for pulling strips of fabric through with a hook to form a loop. All it took to set up a rug frame was four boards nailed together and a length of burlap across it. Some kind of hooking tool such as a whale bone, a wooden crochet needle, or even a bent nail stuck into a chunk of wood was used to pull through the strips of cast-off fabric (old clothing or, later, textile mill remnants). Early designs were sketched freehand onto the burlap; by 1868 burlap pieces prestamped with designs were sold by entrepreneurs such as Edward Sands Frost of Biddeford, Maine. The rage for rug hooking cooled toward the turn of the century as a growing middle class replaced the quaint homemade rugs with modern factory-produced carpets. Rug hooking then enjoyed a Depression-era revival. Pastel clothing, popular in the early 20th century, sometimes ended up in rugs made in the 1920s and '30s.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Few antique rugs were signed or have documented provenance, so dating them is largely a matter of analyzing the foundation, fabrics, and designs. Rugs from the 19th century, for instance, have muted tones, as early dyes faded. The most-prized examples of antique hooked rugs have strong pictorial images of animals, scenic designs, or bold geometrics. Personalized rugs, which often depicted the family pet, also fetch top dollar at auction and at antiques stores. Rugs that are more than 100 years old go for several hundred dollars up to tens of thousands, depending on size, rarity of the design, and condition. The best deals are on rugs between 25 and 75 years old, which typically cost a few hundred dollars, and can be found at antiques shows and through private dealers. Most condition problems are related to the secondhand burlap foundations. "The weakest link holds everything together," says Tracy Jamar, a rug restorer based in New York City. To evaluate the rug's integrity, Jamar suggests laying it on a flat surface and sticking your hand under it, palm side up, fingers splayed. Move your hand along its back, and if you feel some give, flip the rug over to make sure there's not a "holiday"-a bare spot that isn't hooked. If the area is hooked, the foundation is probably coming apart. An experienced restorer can reinforce the section before it becomes a problem. Given the shrinking supply and rising prices of old rugs, many collectors are turning to contemporary rugs by modern-day American textile artists. You can find these heirlooms of tomorrow at fine art and crafts shows for between $400 and $4,000. Commissioned rugs start at $100 a square foot. A number of specialty retailers also offer handmade reproductions based on historic patterns as well as more modern designs. Whether a rare antique floral hung on the wall or a sturdy geometric reproduction covering the floor, a hooked rug can warm up virtually any style of interior.