Plan B: Gee's Bend

So I had some plans tonight to go out but I dithered and they fell through - mostly my own sketchiness. It's getting bloody chilly out there anyway, and to be honest, I could use a night in. I fumbled around on Illustrator a bit and talked design with a friend, and worked on some of my own doodles. Then I went and looked up the quilts of Gee's Bend. Martha (our painting instructor) brought two books about these amazing quilts on Monday. I combed the catalogue and copied these images. Since I'm linking back to them I figure it'd be ok. I hope it's ok...! Anyway these are my favourites.

Loretta Pettway, born 1942.
"Lazy Gal" -- "Bars," ca. 1965,
denim and cotton, 80 x 69 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Loretta Pettway, born 1942.
"Housetop," 1963,
cotton twill and synthetic material (men's clothing),
80 x 74 inches.
In the early 1960s, Loretta Pettway fashioned three quilts from the same batch of men's clothing scraps.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Loretta Pettway, born 1942.
"Logcabin" -- single-block "Courthouse Steps" variation (local name: "Bricklayer"), ca. 1970,
denim, 84 x 66
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Arlonzia Pettway, born 1923.
"Lazy Gal" or "Bars," ca 1975,
corduroy, 89 x 81 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Essie Bendolph Pettway, born 1956,
multiple columns of blocks and bars, 1980,
corduroy, 93 x 75 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Martha Jane Pettway, born 1898.
"Housetop"--nine-block "Half-Logcabin" variation, ca. 1945,
corduroy, 72 x 72 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Annie Mae Young, born 1928.
"Bars," ca. 1965.
Corduroy, denim, polyester knit, assorted synthetics,
81 x 79 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Annie Mae Young, born 1928.
Blocks and strips, ca. 1970, cotton, polyester, synthetic blends,
83 x 80 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Annie Mae Young, born 1928.
Strips, corduroy, ca. 1975,
95 x 105 inches
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Leola Pettway, born 1929.
"Log Cabin" -- "Courthouse Steps" variation (local name: "Bricklayer"), ca. 1975,
corduroy, 85 x 70 inches.
Leola Pettway is China Pettway's mother.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Linda Pettway, born 1929.
"Logcabin" -- single-block variation, tied with yarn, ca. 1975,
corduroy, 88 x 78 inches
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Quinnie Pettway, born 1943.
"Housetop," ca. 1975,
corduroy, 82 x 74 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Ella Mae Irby, 1923-2001.
"Housetop"-twelve-blcok varation. 1962,
cotton, 88 x 75 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Gearldine Westbrook, born 1919.
Center medallion -- "Bars," ca. 1960,
cotton, wool, printed terry cloth, 79 x 70 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Lucy T. Pettway born 1911
"Snowball" (Quiltmaker's name) Circa 1950
Cotton, corduroy, cotton sacking material 83x85 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Lorraine Pettway, born 1953.
Medallion work-clothes quilt, 1974,
denim and cotton/polyester blend, 84 x 68 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Florine Smith, born 1948,
four-block strips, ca. 1975,
corduroy, 68 x 81 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Louella Pettway, born 1921.
"Logcabin" -- four-block variation, ca. 1975,
corduroy, 79 x 71 inches.
Louella Pettway is Linda Pettway's aunt.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Missouri Pettway, 1902-1981.
Blocks and strips work-clothes quilt, 1942,
cotton, corduroy, cotton sacking material, 90 x 69 inches.

Missouri's daughter Arlonzia describes the quilt: "It was when Daddy died. I was about seventeen, eighteen. He stayed sick about eight months and passed on. Mama say, 'I going to take his work clothes, shape them into a quilt to remember him, and cover up under it for love.' She take his old pants legs and shirt-tails, take all the clothes he had, just enough to make that quilt, and I helped her tore them up. Bottom of the pants is narrow, top is wide, and she had me to cutting the top part out and to shape them up in even strips."
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Missouri Pettway, 1902-1981.
"Path through the Woods" (quiltmaker's name), 1971,
polyester knit, 73 x 69 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Arcola Pettway, 1934-1994.
"Lazy Gal" variation, 1976, corduroy, 81 x 89 inches.
This variation on a "Lazy Gal," composed like an American flag, is one of the most remarkable quilts created during the Bicentennial.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Annie Bendolph, 1900-1981.
"Thousand Pyramids" variation, ca. 1930,
cotton sacking and chambray, 83 x 70 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]

Emma Mae Hall Pettway, born 1932.
Two-sided quilt: strips, ca. 1975,
corduroy, 76 x 92 inches.
[via: Quilts of Gee's Bend]