I'm taking a quilting class at my university. We have to do a research project on something to do with quilting... give a speech about it and make a quilt related to it. I'm doing mine on Gee's Bend. I've found plenty of information about it, but I can't find any patterns to follow. Because I'm a beginner (I had never quilted before this class) I would like to have some sort of pattern to follow. Does anyone know where I could find some patterns for Gee's Bend style quilts?

I don't think there are any patterns for the GEE'S BEND quilts. Those ladies didn't follow a pattern because their quilts were made to be used. Most of them I've seen are fairly simple, you should be able to copy one fairly easy.

This is what I found on line:

http://www.quiltsofgeesbend.com/quil...ibitions.shtml

The one on the bottom left is called "Bricklayer" That looks like a very easy quilt to make. Just use some graph paper and draw it out, decide what size you want the quilt to be, then remember to add 1/4 inch all around for the seams.

Thanks!
Graph paper... that's a good idea, can't believe I didn't think of that.

sandybeach and boomswooshblahh .......i saw the gee's bend quilt exhibit years ago before they became popular, and i know they were made from whatever was not worn out on old work clothes. so i'm not putting them down as utility quilts. but i have to say they were ugly IMHO. and put together badly.

the ones pictured are not nearly as old as the originals that were thought to be wonderful. the originals were made mostly in the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's. after that money came into the community by way of the. quilts and they started to change. fabric became available and color sense was sharpened.

i couldn't help thinking that if artsy-fartsy people hadn't "discovered" these quilts, they would not be of any significance.

other extremely poor people have made quilts from worn out clothes that were well thought out and with attention to detail. some of those quilts are quite beautiful. but i don't believe that just because something is made by poor people it is automatically lovely or artful or shows any degree of skiil.

the ones that gee's benders are making now are being made for sale and bear no resemblance to the originals. the originals had very few colors and they were simply large pieces put together any which way the fabric would allow. so a pants leg might be attached to a shirt back. etc. on the original gee's bend quilts small (the size of a child's long sleeve) pieces were hardly used. only garment-sized pieces. nor were they the first to do this.

some quilters did try to make the best color and design use of what they had, but they did not have enough of any one color to work with and as much as they might wish otherwise beauty was not big on their 'to-do' list. they had enough on their plates. they simply put together the biggest pieces they could find as well as they knew how, and slept under them.

other than being a statement of poverty, i honestly never understood the fascination with these quilts.

yakkety, yakkety, yak. sorry about that.

That "bricklayer" pattern is actually "courthouse steps" which is a variation of a log cabin. Check quilterscache for a pattern or just google courthouse steps...good luck!!

They are interesting quilts.

Why some people don't get the value of Gee's Bend quilts, I think it may be that subjective thing with art. It's your choice to like or dislike what you see. Personal preference. You know what moves you! Picasso was considered a "hack" in his day, but his paintings are now priceless. I'm sure there are still critics out there that don't appreciate his work.

Same way with the Gee's Bend gals. They made do with what they had and produced utilitarian quilts to be used and loved. How fun that these creations sparked an art interest and movement so to speak. Kudos to them! I find the designs refreshingly simple and reminiscent of Amish quilts. I hope they are all proud that their quilts sparked interest in quilting of any kind.

Im glad they are getting the recognition now, but it was just women bonding and doing what they had to do! :lol:

I saw the Gees Bend quilt exhibit in Boston. I was more impressed with the the story of the quilts then the quilts themselves. They all seemed random in design, using whatever fabric fit where. Check to be sure you can copy a design of any of the quilts. Their copyright is copyrighted!

You can buy the Gee's Bend quilting kits from Windham Fabrics at www.windhamfabrics.com these kits include the pattern, material, cutting/sewing directions.....you can only get the pattern by buying the kit...I don't know the cost of the kits....betsy lou

Doesn't Keepsake Quilting catalog carry a few of the patterns?

I have to at least half agree with butterflywing. Those women used the fabric they had and made the most of it. Some of it came out like modern art and some came out like what you see when women make the most of what they have.

Jois

you can buy kits here.

http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/Item...-bend--srcin-1

Does anyone know if the quilts were all hand stitched or did they use machines?

I would like to add to Chele's comments about the Gee's Bend quilts. They were displayed around the U.S. in various Art Museums as an Expression of Art. Traditional, contemporary and art quilt makers flocked in huge numbers to see them as well as the usual art museum goers.

Each of these groups would view them with a different perspective based on their background. I consider myself an eclectic quilter since I do work in traditional, contemporary and art styles and admire the talented people in each field.

When I saw the traveling exhibit in Boston it appealed to all my senses and feelings about quilting! I think it was and is one of the bridges that can help us feel part of an ever widening group of people who have a common thread (no pun intended!). My hope is that it leads us to better understand and appreciate the common and unique abilities of each other through the message of a quilt.

I totally agree!!

Ditter

they were handstched-and poorly-until money came in, and then they bought machines.

they were not made to look at. they were made to keep warm. an interesting story, but not especially interesting quilts.

there are members on the board who remember grannies taking apart old coats and re-using the flattened out wool to use as blankets. my aunt did that as well.
we didn't then and don't now, think of them as 'art'. we think of them as warm.
and my aunt would shake with laughter to hear this conversation. she would love to sell you her artwork. she can afford blankets now. would anyone care to buy one from her? she comes from an impoverished upstate, ny town where there are no jobs and she's moved on to a better life. does the story sound similar? oh, she's 92 and remembers the bad old days, too.

Anyone interested in the Gee's Bend quilts may also like to take a look at the Australian 'Wagga Wagga' Quilts.

Gal

The original poster may want to google "Denyse Schmidt", too. She is largely inspired by Gee's Bend quilts.

I gotta say I am with butterfly wing on this one. I don't really see the attraction. I've only seen them online, but they didn't do anything for me at all.

I'm not in the least interested in Gee's Bend quilts, but find the story interesting, as was the Wagga Wagga quilts. Very much alike in my thinking. Thanks for posting this.

reminds me of the story of The Emperors new clothes. My mother in law made beautiful quilts out of old clothing scraps. I think workmanship should come into play somewhere.

I love the discussion on this! I am not fascinated by the Gee's bend quilts--women did what they had to do to keep their families warm. IMHO I feel most of us here on the board have lost touch with the extreme poverty these women dealt with. For this I respect their ingenuity. Is this art or survival?

The exibit is currently at our museum here in reno. I don't think that there are patterns available, but there is a book on them available to purchase. Or maybe your library has it for check out? Here is a link to see the book and to get the ubc code.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=Gee's+Bend+quilts&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=810870650842321873&ei=TLrAS4nXHZmyMb3ZuMoK&s a=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=4&v ed=0CBYQ8wIwAw#ps-sellers

Being here in South Alabama I have actually met some of the Gees Bend Quilters. What they had was a great promoter who saw a chance to make some money - and he (and his group did). They have actually profited very little.
On the other hand, there have been family members who never made a stitch in their lives before all the fame who have jumped on the bandwagon.
While I'm not all that impressed with the quilts, I am impressed with the promotion these ladies have gotten!
And the ones I have met have all been very nice and gracious...

i'm glad you said that. that's exactly what i was referring to when i said that they had been "discovered" by the artsy-fartsy crowd. promoters can sell anything. people DO buy the brooklyn bridge. and there is a flat earth society. believe me, the earth is not flat no matter what some people think.

i have no doubt that the gee's benders are great people. why not? they have nice homes, plenty to eat and notoriety. the quilts that they now make bear no resemblance to the quilts their mothers made. i'm glad they make a living. i bear them no grudge. they made warm quilts with what they had. they were masters of frugality. the original gee's benders just didn't make beautiful quilts. to say that they did demeans all of us who DO make beautiful quilts.

.

um, don't be too quick to assume that these ladies "all have nice homes" etc, it ain't necessarily true...
As I said, the promoters got lots of money....

by nice homes i mean homes with running water, electric, a toilet and a roof. more than their mamas had. or my aunt for that matter. she had a well and an outhouse. they buy their blankets, i'm sure, and have shoes. and they have enough to eat. so there is some consistency in their lives that their parents didn't have.

I would like to formally welcome you, the original poster, to the world of quilting! I hope your classwork has been as rewarding for you as it is for those of us that communicate via this forum.

I also hope you have taken some time to view the many topics available and see the diversity that exists among all of us.

Could you let us know how your quilt progresses, maybe even pictures? If you can spare a bit more time, here is a website link to something about the Waga quilts of Australia that were mentioned earlier.
http://wrap-wagga.blogspot.com/

We had a "Gees Bend Quilt Show" at our little museum a couple of years ago. None of the traditional quilts were shown, all were for sale. They were made with new fabrics and patterns (not period). The quilting was by hand but very poorly done, not primitive, but poorly. The (mostly) women of Gees Bend were paid (little) to produce a lot of quilts for the company that did the shows. The prices were outrageous, several hundred dollars for simple lap size quilts and wall hangings with little charm. There were some nicely done quilts, but most were obviously quickly and poorly done.

I think the original quilts are fabulous pieces of history and certainly need to be maintained. I would be willing to pay the prices for quilts made with period fabrics and the same artistic quality of the original quilts for which they are known. I find it offensive that companies would take advantage of groups of people just because they have a recognizable name.

JJ........It saddens me to read your note.....why does this happen? My God-like upbringing tells me it is a greed of a few........I do like the "non-traditional" look of these quilts and soty of off the wall, I like the mathematical aspect of them...I have twwo paterns...Housetop and Lazy' Gal......I have sewen the first together....I was told by Windham the individual patterns are no longer available and one must buy the "entire kit" from them....what control!! Thanks so much for your note..I apppreciate your time and comments....betsy lou

Naive art/outsider art/folk art has a place but it frequently involves a volturing promoter, or twelve, as has been pointed out. Sometimes the subject profits well enough but that's the exception to the rule, I think. And, I say subject, rather than artist, because the creator is more of the story than the piece itself.

Butterflywing is brave to point out the differences between the original utility blankets and the current product. Many of us had relatives who made scrap blankets for utilitarian purposes and those aren't art. They would need to be grouped, framed in a sociological perspective and promoted.

Some of my favorite painters were actually limners. I'm descended from limners who will never be famous, never have a patron. Long dead and "undiscovered," they were working folk who barely managed to make a living with their commercial "art." Multiple generations worked together, some as gilders. While fascinating to me, it would require a serious effort to interest anyone else.

Any argument about naive art leads to the canons and definitions and, well, there's fun in that. I already took that class. I just wanted to say that I see Butterflywing's point and Gee's point, too.

Although this thread has been dead for years, I made an account just to defend the Gee's Bend quilts.

Art is an expression of human emotion. The quilts of Gee's Bend have more expression than "perfect" and traditional quilts.

When I see a quilt where everything is perfect, all seams straight, no variation, no visual interest... I just want to soak it in gasoline and light it on fire. What is the point in putting in all the time and effort into making a handmade item if the finished product looks like it came out of a factory? If you can't see the human factor, it is worthless.

The quilts of Gee's Bend are expressions of the culture in which they were created. I love the wonkiness, the imperfections - I strive for that when I make my quilts. I'll even make mistakes on purpose.

You may think they are ugly. You may not like them. But these quilts are still rousing an emotion in you. And because of that, they are art. I agree they would have never gotten the recognition if they were never discovered by the curators. Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But if you fail to see the beauty in these quilts - even the ugly and raw beauty - you're probably a very cold and unpleasant person.

These quilts are organic, they are spontaneous, and they are made resourcefully. In my opinion, that is much more interesting than a quilt that was planned out, cut precisely, and agonized over - which just sucks the life right out of the quilt.

Rotate a few blocks the wrong way, use the wrong color, let a few seams get crooked - you might like it.