quiltology...

You may be wondering, “What happened to the blog?” Well friends, the flu happened. Yes, I got nailed here for a couple of weeks. But alls well that ends well and I’m back!

I’ve been thinking lately about what a wonderful vantage point I have here—I get to see so many fun, interesting and amazing quilts and works-in-progress. I think it’s about time I starting sharing—don’t you?

This week’s show-and-tell comes from new quilter—soft spoken Renee Davis. Who knew she had this amazing project in the works? Never one to toot her own horn, Renee just happened to bring it to class with her last week and I nearly fell over—this one’s definitely TGTBT (too good to be true!) Out came the camera—the rest is for all of you to enjoy.

Renee recreated the cover quilt from “The Quilt’s of Gees Bend.” The quilt represents the essence of traditional patchwork in a modern interpretation—simple yet bold, created from salvaged fabrics with strong graphic design lines and vibrant color choices. In this case Renee used blue jeans and cords from her family’s closet, incorporating bits and pieces of her own clothing as well as those belonging to her husband and daughter. (“Hey Mom—have you seen my blue jeans?...ah, no honey, I can’t imagine where they went to…have you checked the laundry room!)

And for a little historical perspective, an introduction from the preface to the book…

The Quilts of Gee’s Bend presents the genius of a group of exceptional women who, for well over a century, have created distinctive works of art for their homes and families. Hailing from one small rural black community in Alabama with a population of about seven hundred, these women have produced hundreds of quilt masterpieces that we know about dating back to the mid-1920s to the present. The textile artists of Gee’s Bend are the inheritors of a tradition that undoubtedly goes back many generations, though earlier examples of their community’s quilts are lost.

The Gee’s Bends quilts also represent only a portion of the rich tradition of African American quiltmaking in the South, but they are in a league by themselves. Few other places can boast the density of Gee’s Bend’s artistic achievement, which is the result both of geographical isolation and an unusual degree of cultural continuity. In few other places can we find surviving examples of work by three and sometimes four generations of woman in the same family, or trace the lineages of different community quilting groups. And in few places can we find so many quilts with so much flair, pieced in bold, improvised geometries from salvaged work clothes and dresses, cotton sacks and fabric samples. The Quilts of Gee’s Bend presents a particular place and its people, who have created a body of art as rich in its content and so remarkable in its execution that it now enhances dramatically the American cultural landscape.

If you haven’t had a chance to see the traveling Gee’s Bend quilt exhibit, then you must visit the web site. Unfortunately the book is currently unavailable, but if drop by the shop, you’re welcome to browse through my personal copy. And if you want to inspire yourself on a daily basis—check out the new collection of 30 notecards depicting these marvelous quilts in all their colorful glory.

Until next time—happy sewing everybody!

Colette