'Art Underfoot' showcases rug hooking

The McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, 522 W. Madison Ave. in Athens, Tenn., will opened its annual show of hooked rugs, "Art Underfoot." The exhibit will remain on view through Thursday, March 28.

In rug hooking, rugs are made by pulling loops of yarn or fabric through a stiff woven base, such as burlap, linen or rug warp, using a crochet hook. In its earliest years, rug hooking was a craft of poverty, say museum officials. Poor women began looking through their scrap bags for materials to create homemade floor coverings.

The modern preference for using only cut wool strips in hooked rugs originated with Pearl McGown in the 1930s. The craft has seen a resurgence in popularity and is now viewed as form of fine art.

Anyone interested in learning more about the craft may attend a hook-in workshop on Friday and Saturday, March 8-9. Registration forms are available at www.livingheritagemuseum.com.

Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information, call 423-745-0329.

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