Gee's Bend Quilters Legacy – Heritage Quilt Bookmarks

Some family stories are stitched into quilts. Others are passed down through generations, carried in memories, photographs, and the traditions we continue today.

These heritage bookmarks feature quilts created by two of my great-grandmothers, Ella Bendolph, whom I call Gran, and Martha Jane Pettway, whom I call Grandma. Their artistry and family histories are deeply connected to Gee’s Bend, Alabama.

As their great-granddaughter, I created these keepsakes to share our family's living legacy with readers, collectors, and those who appreciate African American art and history.

History Behind the Piece

This collection features four quilts created by Gran and Grandma, each with its own place in our family history.

Gran Ella Bendolph (1904–1995) — Strips (1955)

Gran's story connects quilting, healing, and family tradition. Her family history reaches back to Dinah Miller and the Clotilda. Gran's mother, Sallie Miller, was a sought-after midwife and faith healer in Gee's Bend. Her Strips quilt features dark fabric strips in brown, blue, and muted purple.

Grandma Martha Jane Pettway (1898–2003) — Strips and Strings (1960)

Grandma's 1960 quilt features vibrant strips of blue, green, yellow, red, and other colors. She was among the first documented generations of Gee's Bend quilters, and her quilting traditions continue through her descendants today.

Grandma Martha Jane Pettway — Strips and Strings (1973)

This quilt combines patterned fabrics, floral prints, colorful horizontal strips, and a prominent blue-gray strip, reflecting Grandma's distinctive creativity.

Grandma Martha Jane Pettway — Housetop Half Log Cabin Variation (1955)

This quilt features colorful geometric blocks. One of Grandma's daughters helped establish the Freedom Quilting Bee, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2026. At least five generations of Grandma's descendants are carrying the quilting tradition forward, living and creating around the world.

About This Keepsake

Originally created in celebration of the 5th Annual Airing of the Quilts Festival on October 3, 2026, in Gee's Bend, Alabama, each bookmark features a quilt image, the quilter's name, quilt title, and year on the front. The reverse shares a biographical tribute and family history.

Choose the design that speaks to you, or collect all four.

Product Details

• Individual double-sided heritage bookmark
• Four quilt designs to choose from
• Featured quilters: Ella Bendolph and Martha Jane Pettway
• Front: quilt image, quilter's name, title, and year
• Back: biographical tribute and family history
• Created in celebration of the 5th Annual Airing of the Quilts Festival, 2026
• One bookmark per purchase
• $4.00 per bookmark
• Created by Sweet Martha's Family Farmacy

From My Family to Yours

For more than 30 years, I've researched and preserved my family's history. These quilts are not simply images of celebrated artwork to me. They were created by Gran and Grandma, two women whose lives and traditions are woven into my own story.

I created these bookmarks so their stories can travel with readers, collectors, and anyone discovering the artistic heritage of Gee's Bend. Through Sweet Martha's Family Farmacy, I honor the ancestors who came before me and celebrate the family members who are carrying our traditions forward today.

Heritage Note

The quilting traditions of Gee's Bend are not confined to museum collections or history books. They remain a living part of our family. Each bookmark is a small piece of that continuing story, created and shared by a descendant of the women whose work it celebrates.

Our family. Our stories. Our voices. Our living legacy.