Cookie Washington: Gullah Rag Quilting as a Cultural Anchor

Cookie Washington will provide an interactive demonstration of the Rag Rug technique honoring Gullah artist Sharon Cooper-Murray “The Gullah Lady,” who continued to make Rag quilts on Wadmalaw Island through the early 2000s. Artists are encouraged to bring scraps of fabric with them to weave into their rugs.

The Gullah tradition of rag quilting is deeply rooted in African-American history, representing resilience, resourcefulness, and storytelling.  This technique can serve as a cultural anchor, connecting future generations to their ancestors and preserving the legacy of using scraps to create something meaningful and beautiful. By continuing this practice, we acknowledge the ingenuity and creativity of the Gullah people, ensuring their contributions remain vibrant and relevant.

According to oral history, enslaved women would use old clothes to make their children’s clothing. Women would take small leftover or unusable strips of fabric, cut open grain sacks, and work the strips through the sack, tying them together to make the rag quilt. These heavy quilts kept enslaved and freed people warm during inclement weather.