Gee's bend quilts

[Kristiequilts]

Has anyone quilted any of the Gee's Bend Quilts? I have 2 to do and while I have plenty of time to think about what to do I thought I'd ask all of you talented ladies an gents.

this #1

[Kristiequilts]

Here is the next one. Both are approx sofa sized.

[Zora]

I quilted one of these recently. When I did the research, they said they were simply quilted, often with very large clamshells or with parallel lines. The lines would go perpendicular to the strips, and would change direction over each section, always running perpendicular to the pieced strips, not running parallel to the seams. Because of the piecing on the one I did, the parallel lines thing didn't look right. So I did sweeping arcs, randomly placed, sort of lke clamshells, but irregular in size and spacing. It looked good, and the client liked it. I think wavy lines would also be acceptable, placed a couple inches apart. I have seen them quilted with pantos, but that isn't in keeping with the tradition of the quilts.

[Kristiequilts]

You wouldn't happen to have any pictures would you?

[Sandra Darlington]

This is an interesting question, but of course, I don't have the answer. I think they are interesting quilts due to their very humble beginnings. I'll be watching this post to see what answers you receive.

Are the quilt tops kits from Keepsake? I saw they had several in their catalogs over the past year, but I can't remember seeing how they were quilted.

[Quilting Heidi]

Normally I'd say go curvy but I think in this case you would get a more dramatic look with straight lines. Anything geometric would work. Just depends how much work you want to do.

[Primitive1]

I would think clamshells would work too, but again, I'll watch and see what you come up with..

[Zora]

I will see if I can post a picture. I've never tried it, and am not all that camera/computer literate. I'll see if DH (who at least knows how to operate the camera thingy) can help.

[Zora]

Nope...not going to work. We have an older camera, and when I bring the pictures to the computer, the quilting doesn't show. Sorry.

[Sandra Darlington]

I wonder if they were quilted similar to some of the Amish quilts that were made very much like the Gee's Bend quilts.

[LadyLake]

I've cut and pasted the descriptions of the quilting style on the following website's 'Gees Bend style quilts.'

http://www.rockymountainquilts.com/files/antique_quilts_aa.php

Hand quilting is executed in large echoing arcs utilizing thin white string.

Hand quilting on this quilt is a combination of arc and loosely parallel lines using white string.

There are large gentle arcs as well as areas of straight lines of neat and functional quilting throughout.

The hand quilting on the piece is a combination of diagonal and clamshell quilting.

[Primitive1]

I did some looking around on line and found this picture where the ladies appear to be quilting in straight lines...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gee%27s_Bend_quilting_bee.jpg

[Kristiequilts]

Wow Vicki thanks. This Will be an easy quilt to quilt. I Think I'll o the multicolored one in Straight lines, but I may do circles (in no particular design just random and some overlaping) on the muted blue and black one - with the one red square.

Of course I'm going to have to wait 2 weeks before I get these bandages off my hand. At least I'll be finished with the hard part of quilting - figuring what I'm going to do!::D:D