The penny rug is another legacy from the history of American design.  The tradition dates back to about the time of the Civil War, when women would gather scraps of wool felt from old clothes or hats.  They then cut these scraps into roung "pennies" and applied them in blanket stitch fashion to a wool background.  They would often stitch actual coins into the fabric to hel hold it down.  While commonly referred to as penny "rugs", they were more often found on tabletops and walls as decorative elements.

These penny rugs can also be used as wall hangings thanks to the built-in sleeves on the back of each rug.