My grandmother, Lina Rosette Hirtle, was born in New Canada, Lunenburg County, NS,  Her mother, Bessie Hirtle (nee Meldrum) taught her to hook as a child, and she hooked rugs all her life. She married Carmon Lee Fancey and lived for a time in New Elm, Queens County, but subsequently moved to North Brookfield, Queens County where this rug was hooked. She was a housewife and a farmer who worked from sunrise to sunset, but found joy in her ‘spare’ time by hooking rugs, making clothing for the family, knitting, and crocheting.

My grandmother hooked this rug to put on the floor by my bed when I was about 5 years old. It is a rag rug hooked on a burlap-type backing that was used for flour sacks at the time. Her rags came from old clothing and household linens as she could not afford to purchase materials. She also knitted and crocheted, so the rug is finished with a crochet edging of yarn. She sewed rubber rings from canning jars on the underside of the four corners to keep the rug from slipping on the floor. These have since deteriorated. The design of this rug resembles the quilt pattern called “Tumbling Blocks”.  This is truly a heirloom that I will cherish always. (Lina Rosette Fancey (nee Hirtle):  January 26, 1899 – January 21, 1991)