Pennies from Heaven

I love penny rugs. I especially love the penny rugs made by my friend Jean Witt of Bluejean Primitives. Her pennies are about authentic as you can get outside of a museum. Her handwork is of the highest quality and is always completely original.

I'm lucky enough to own the mat pictured above. You can see how precisely Jean has cut the pennies and the amazing number of stitches she uses around each one. Jean also has a unique aging process that adds to the charm of her rugs. Barb and I brought several of Jean's rugs to our shows last fall and people were awed by them. One woman thought they had been made during the civil war and couldn't understand why they were in such great shape! One of our best and favorite customers bought a long penny rug to make into a purse! So lots of people are inspired by Jean's handiwork -- including me! Here's a rug I hooked as an homage to Jean's pennies -- it pales in comparison to the real thing.


And, yes, Jean's pennies are the real thing. Don't be fooled by cheap imitations! Just click here for her website. Remember, a penny saved is a penny earned!