First of all, this is not an advertisement, and I don’t mean to be a pain in the wazoo. Philosophically, I am just pondering why there are now kits so that people can make quilts to look like the quilts of Gee’s Bend. Historically, the quilts were made for warmth. The quilters there were not “celebrated” or even “noticed.” Poor people don’t get much notice. Instead, and before Matt Arnett came along to “discover them,” the quilters in that dirt poor part of Alabama were just “poor.”
Now that their quilts have attained “status” by being shown around the country and a big deal made about them, people want to emulate them? Why?
I realize that companies drive the quilt industry and dictate what they want people to buy. But this? It is just too much. Why not support the quilters of Gee’s Bend by buying a quilt made there? Do they make quilts for sale? Or has their fame made their quilts so high in price, as art treasures, that no one can afford them? Isn’t there a quilt cooperative in place in the town?
Lest the reader misunderstand me, I like the raw folk art look, the untutored sense of the original quilts of Gee’s Bend. I own the books that tell about them and the quilters there. To me, it almost seems like taking something away from the quilters to make kits of their works, sort of like trying to copy a Caryl Bryer Fallert designer quilt, exactly, down to the last thread, not that anyone could because her quilts are so unique.
Maybe I think too much but this situation of kits for African-American “treasures” seems over the top. I’m sorry. I just don’t “get it.” But then again, I guess I don’t have to understand. I do comprehend the aspect of money involved, and that may be the only thing that is being considered by those who made this decision to offer kits.
I’m having a hard time formulating why I reject this idea. I guess the bottomline is that I am getting tired of spin-offs, phoneys, and/or poor imitations. I’ll leave it at that.
Opinion? Write to me -
pat@quiltersmuse.com or leave a comment. I’d be interested to know what anyone else thinks.
By the way, the color combinations and designs of the kits look lovely!
Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications
Can’t someone who thinks deeply about the state of the universe and the quilting world make some candid observations without having her words twisted?
Certain folks look at situations only in terms of the Almighty Dollar and no other way. They can never seem to get the big picture, or want to do so.
Perhaps the plan is so brilliantly conceived, it will earn a lot of money, enough so that the trickle-down-economic impact, may actually help the quilters in question. That would be nice. Meanwhile, there are lots of middle-men in between who have to get their “cut.” Just sayin’ …
I am sorry that you misread or misconstrued my message. My statements do not reflect that the idea of non-support for the Quilters of Gee’s Bend. My question was a larger one: Why kits? What do they do to the “values” of the original and celebrated pieces. To me, it is sort of like comparing diamonds to zirconia. They look similar but one is the REAL deal.
In the private e-mails we have exchanged, I am convinced that the sole motivation is money. What else would it be? The figure you gave me for the amount of royalty check already given to the quilters seems astronomical, considering that the kits were just produced, and reflects only a percentage.
I am happy the quilters are benefiting from the project.
Please re-read what I said. I think you missed the point.
In these hard times, and with such a glut of products and fabrics on the market, I imagine that fabric companies, as well as everyone else, have trouble making ends meet.
My remarks were observational, not derogatory. Sorry you totally misunderstood my intent.
Seems that people only want to see things from their own point of view. Thanks for sharing yours, but I am not going to accept the attack, nor take it personally.
Money is money. Too bad it doesn’t grow on trees, and I agree – why isn’t the government doing more to help the “poorest County” of America, as you describe Gee’s Bend. I would add, what about all of the homeless veterans, the Katrina victims who are still un-housed, etc.
The poor of our own society often have no voice, or so it seems. And, sometimes, they are just pawns in the game.
Hi Pat. The Gee’s Bend Quilt Kits are produced by Windham in conjunction with the Quilters of Gee’s Bend who receive royalties when their kits are sold. I do believe I sent you the press release in November when the project launched with all the details.
In addition, the Gee’s Bend Solid Fabrics generate royalties for the Gee’s Bend Foundation and the Gee’s Bend Quilters Collective. The Quilters are proud of the quilt kits and we are working on four new designs now.
We receive lots of requests from people who wish to study with the quilters and inquiries about technique and so forth – given the sell-out of the first set of kits there are apparently many people who want to create a quilt in the style of Gee’s Bend.
Judy, Windham is not pandering or disrespectful. They have been an outstanding partner in this project. Every step of the way is approved by the Quilters and the Foundation. Yes, Windham is making money but they are giving back a substantial sum to the quilters.
There are a wide range of quilts at various price points at the Gee’s Bend Quilters Collective in Gee’s Bend. The prices are considerably higher than that of the quilt kit. Instead of selling a silly knick-knack to people who want a little bit of Gee’s Bend why not a quilt kit that they will enjoy making and have for years to come?
Just because the kit comes with certain fabric and instructions doesn’t mean that a quilter cannot inject their own style into the quilt to make it truly theirs – in fact we hope that this happens and encourage people to explore their own creativity.
Wish you didn’t feel the way you do about the kits as you have always been a wonderful champion of Gee’s Bend.
I also found Gees Bend quilt kits for sale, but they were from the online shop of the celebrated Quilt Museum at the University of Nebraska. Surely it’s possible that the kits are actually put out by the Gees Bend quilters themselves and not someone trying to rip them off. If so, I see nothing wrong with that at all.
I cannot grasp the fact that people would even want a kit to improvise … the originals are made with whatever they had on hand, and if you are a quilter you probably have plenty of fabric on hand.
As for the company making the kits, it is pandering to the lazy, disrepectful to the quilters of Gees bend and just palin greedy.