Donna Willis of Yankee Pride shared these no-fail tips for choosing the perfect braided rug for your home. • Material. Wool is the most durable and cleanable, said Willis.

Thorndike Mills: making high-quality braided rugs in Palmer for 85-year family affair. Published: ; Jan. 10, 2011, 6:00 a.m.

Thorndike Mills, maker of braided rag rugs in Palmer, shutting down after 94 years after losing stateside supply of wool cloth. ... He arrived here in 1921 and started weaving rag rugs in 1925.