From Farmhouses to Cozy Homes: Create Your Own Toothbrush Basket or Rug

Join us for a beginner-friendly workshop where you will learn the art of no-sew crafting and create your very own toothbrush basket or rug to brighten your home.

This cultural preservation workshop is part of the Save Our African American Treasures initiative, which inspires preservation efforts across the nation by empowering individuals, families, groups, and organizations to protect and share their history.
About the Workshop

This hands-on experience pays homage to the history of home economics programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Early domestic science classes and extension schools taught vital skills such as sewing, table setting, healthy cooking, and other practical practices that supported economic independence and entrepreneurial opportunities. Traditional crafts like rug making and basket weaving not only enhanced home life but could also provide an additional source of income.

Today, crafts such as rug hooking and rag weaving continue to offer meaningful benefits, from stress relief and creative expression to sustainable upcycling practices.
Program Highlights

• Join hands-on workshop with Quilter Artist Torreah “Cookie” Washington
• Learn no-sew toothbrush or (rag rug) technique
• Attend curator talk on the lasting impact of HBCU home ecoconomic programs

Supplies

• All materials provided

Registration
This workshop will be held in an intimate classroom setting, ensuring personalized, hands-on instruction for all participants.
 

 Space is limited; registration opens February 6, 2026.



 

 Image Credits: Black and White photo Frances Benjamin Johnston Collection (Library of Congress). Image depicts African American women rug weaving in home economics class at Hampton Institute (1899). Toothbrush rug and basket images provided by quilter artist, Torreah "Cookie" Washington