Penny rug

A penny rug is a decoration made of stitched-together coin-shaped fabric scraps.

Penny rugs are believed to date back to at least the 1700s but became popular in the 1800s, starting around the time of the Civil War.

The mats or rugs were sometimes backed with old burlap bags or feed sacks.

[citation needed] Not all penny rugs were meant to cover the floor.

Many were meant as hearth rugs, with darker colors to disguise dirt and burn marks.