“AT THE INTERSECTION OF HANDCRAFTED LABOR AND AESTHETICS, IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT TUFTED RUGS FACED AN ATTEMPTED COUP BY HOBBY-HAPPY MILLENNIALS. ONE TUTORIAL VIDEO AND A COUPLE OF ETSY PURCHASES ARE ALL IT TAKES TO START TUFTING, AND SO, THE RENAISSANCE OF SUCH RUGS TOOK HOLD, BUT JUST BECAUSE THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN APPROPRIATED, DOES NOT MEAN IT CAN’T BE SMARTLY, AND APPROPRIATELY. FOR ANGELA ANH NGUYEN, THE HISTORY AND CONTEXT OF RUG MAKING IN THIS FORM ARE HELD IN THE SAME REGARD AS--AND OFTEN BLEED INTO-- CONCEPTS FOR THE PIECES THEMSELVES“