Quiltmakers

The women of the Gee's Bend Quilters Collective all live in the area of Rehoboth and Boykin, Alabama.

Throughout much of the twentieth century, making quilts was considered a domestic responsibility for women in Gee's Bend. As young girls, many of the women trained or apprenticed in their craft with their mothers, female relatives, or friends; other quilters, however, have been virtually self-taught. Women with large families often made dozens upon dozens of quilts over the course of their lives.

The women consider the process of "piecing" the quilt "top" to be highly personal. In Gee’s Bend, the top—the side that faces up on the bed—is always pieced by a quilter working alone and reflects a singular artistic vision. The subsequent process of “quilting” the quilt—sewing together the completed top, the batting (stuffing), and the back—is sometimes then performed communally, among small groups of women.

Most of the quilters were featured in the book Gee's Bend: The Women And Their Quilts (Tinwood, 2002), where extensive biographical information can be found.

The quiltmakers respectfully request that the public address all inquiries to the Gee’s Bend Quilters Collective, not to the individual quiltmakers.

Read about the history of the Quilt's of Gee's Bend.

Mary Lee Bendolph		Agatha Bennett		Mary L. Bennett		Sarah Benning
Willie Ann Benning		Minnie Sue Coleman		Gloria Hoppins		Nazareth Major
Helen McCloud		Lucy Mingo		Flora Moore		Ruth Mosely
Addie Pearl Nicholson		Mertlene Perkins		Allie Pettway		Annette Pettway
Arlonzia Pettway		Belinda Pettway		China Pettway		Creola Pettway
Essie Pettway		Jessie T. Pettway		Leola Pettway		Linda Pettway
Lola Pettway		Lorraine Pettway		Lucy T. Pettway		Luella Pettway
Malissia Pettway		Mensie Lee Pettway		Qunnie Pettway		Rita Mae Pettway
Bettie Bendolph Seltzer		Sue Willie Seltzer		Florine Smith		Gearldine Westbrook
Irene Williams		Nell Hall Williams		Lucy Witherspoon		Nettie Young