For years, I've been interested in Penny Rugs. Their origin dates back to the Civil War era, when homemakers used wool scraps from old clothing, etc. to create mats or rugs. Using coins as templates, they created circles and stitched them with a blanket stitch to a background fabric. They weren't necessarily made as floor rugs, but more often decor coverings for beds, tables, and mantels. Recently, inspired by the blog site of Ashton Publications, I decided to try my hand at making a penny…