A Day with Loretta Bennett

I got to spend Saturday with Loretta Bennett of Gee's Bend, Alabama!

When Stephanie heard she would be in the area for another project, 

she organized a sewing day for Gee's Bend quilt fans--like me.  

Thank you so much, Stephanie!!

Here's Loretta showing how she takes apart jeans.  There's a pocket perfectly picked off.  

To her right is a polyester double knit block she made.  She's wearing a t-shirt made from the design.  

(She had been at Pilchuck school as an artist-in-residence.  The t-shirt was made there.)

After telling lots of stories about growing up in Gee's Bend, 

she took a strip from each of us to show how she makes a quilt out of anything she has.  

All that, plus a leg of denim, and wa-la!

Behind her you can see some of the blocks made by participants in the class.  

Loretta will take these home and put them together into one quilt.  

Loretta is a really lovely person.  Besides being talented, she's humble, generous, patient, and kind.

You can see some of her quilts here.

I finished this top, which I started in 2011 at another Gee's Bend class in Sisters, Oregon.

Below are some details.

Now, I've got a whole lot'a quilting to do!

Southern Comfort

It was a charmed and delightful trip to Alabama and Tennessee!  We laughed and laughed, made new "sisters," ate well, walked and sewed until we dropped.  

Victoria, Mary, Bonnie and Kim have posted lots of great photos of the workshop with 

China and Mary Ann Pettway of Gee's Bend, Alabama.  So I'll post other parts of the trip. 

This is the path between our sleeping cabin and the sewing/dining room.

Rocking chairs on porches seem to represent the South.  These were on our back porch.

Bonnie, Tina and I stayed an extra day with Mary in Tennessee.  We went to a couple of antique shops and found some amazing old quilts!  Tina came home with this top.

And this quilt.

I bought this Rocky Road to Kansas top.

And this top.

And this quilt, all made of silky fabrics.  

I worked with some of my old baby clothes that were sewn by my grandmother.  China Pettway helped a lot.  I came home with one rendition, but decided I didn't like it.  So I picked out the blocks and started over.  Here's last night's version.  I'm still not pleased, but will keep going until I like it!  

Sisters Trip

Last week's trip to Sisters, Oregon was FULL of inspiration and excitement.  You asked for lots of photos, so here you go!

We left Seattle on Wednesday, and got there in time to see Bill Volckening talk about his quilt collection.  He showed MANY wonderful quilts.  This one is by Lucy Mingo of Gee's Bend.

This is one of his New York Beauties that I especially liked.  It appears to have been salvaged and repaired from a larger quilt.

Thursday morning we shopped at The Stitchin Post, and look who we saw!  Kathy Doughty from Material Obsession in Australia and her friend, Cheryl.  There's Tonya too.

In the afternoon, we had a class with seven of the Gee's Bend quilt makers.  From left to right:  (I've forgotten the first woman's name.  I think it was Rivla?)  Anyway, next is Mary Ann Pettway, Louisiana Bendolph, Stella Mae Pettway, Lucy Mingo, China Pettway and Ruth Kennedy.

After a bit of singing, we all got to work.   Stella Mae helped me make this. 

Look who else was in the class.  Janet Bolton from London!  She is a lovely woman.  I hope to take a class from her someday. 

This is where we ate and slept, all seven of us Rebels, very comfortably in a cabin that was larger than these.

With a beautiful creek just outside the window.

 Friday was the "Garden Party" class with Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession.  Here she is, helping me with my quilt.  She is amazingly talented, generous, fun and approachable.  Two of her Australian "posse" helped out, also extremely talented and friendly.  Oh, to be able to work with them more often!!  Below are some other quilts made in the class.

You can get the pattern for this quilt at the Material Obsession site.

Saturday was the quilt show, with 1,300 quilts all hung outside.  They say it's the largest outdoor quilt show in the world!

There were so many fabulous quilts.  I focused on the Gee's Bend ones to share here.

                                                        This one is by Stella Mae Pettway.

                                                  This one is by Mary Ann Pettway.

                                                     This one is by Rita Mae Pettway.

                                                              This one is by Ruth Kennedy.

Remember the block contest I entered?  Here are about half of the entries.


Mine is top left.

Here's the winner, well deserved!

One of the most impressive things about the Sisters Quilt Show is the community participation.  Everyone comes out to help.  Here are some girls selling water.

Here are the Gee's Bend gals, ready to sign books.  L to R:  Lucy Mingo, Ruth Kennedy, Stella Mae Pettway, China Pettway and Mary Ann Pettway.  I've been fortunate to have seen them four times, and it's always hard to say "good bye."  This time, I'm saying, "See you at your place next time!"



Then it was time to leave beautiful Sisters, Oregon.  Mountains like these stand all around.

On Sunday, Tonya and I got to play in my sewing room.  My neighbor, Shannon, brought over a kitten so Tonya could get her kitty fix.

 

Then we played with orphan blocks.  Gratitude is a fitting word for how I'm feeling about this great trip, the visit with Tonya, all the talented quilt makers out there, the Rebels gals, and you with whom to share it all!