I may have mentioned that I have a wonderful friend who has already made me two fine quilts – they would be ‘Fine quilts from Nebraska’! She has said that she has quilts for each of my sons ‘in the works’ – how lucky can we get?
Thus the topic of quilts and sewing often comes into our phone conversations or letters (we do snail mail not email).
A year or so ago the Post Office issued a fine set of stamps showing some of the Gee’s Bend Quilts. I loved those stamps; loved putting them on envelopes to special friends. Regrettably I didn’t keep a set for posterity.
My Nebraska friend had told me of her trip to Houston, Texas, where she had seen the Gee’s Bend Quilts on exhibit there. She raved about them. Then I came home from my trip to England and my husband said “Check out this newspaper article I saved you on quiltsâ€.
Two weeks ago I had the privilege of seeing the Gee’s Bend Quilts at our local art museum. I just can’t say enough about this opportunity. The quilts filled the exhibit hall. You had to view the quilts close-up and from a distance to enjoy every aspect of each quilt.
Obviously the desire to touch had to be resisted, but the textures of all the fabrics were remarkable. I loved the variety of fabrics – from corduroy to denim to flour sacks to old shirts and dungarees – nothing was wasted by the Gee’s Bend ladies.
To quote one of the quilt ladies of Gee’s Bend “We made the quilts to keep warm†– they weren’t thinking of earning a living or making a profit. They worked at their various jobs during the day and came together in the evenings to make quilts.
It was one of my most memorable trips to our local art museum. Dare I say even better than the Tutankamen exhibit last year? Better for me at any rate.
I am inspired to create a small quilt, even a pillow top, in the style of the Gee’s Bend quilts. Yet another idea to spur me forward!
Ready or not — here I come!