Martha Jane Pettway – Housetop Nine Block (1945) Legacy Postcard

Some quilts are more than works of art. They are pieces of family history, carrying the creativity, determination, and traditions of the women who made them.

This postcard features Housetop Nine Block Half Log Cabin Variation (1945), a quilt created by my great-grandmother, Martha Jane Pettway, whom I called Grandma.

With its striking arrangement of green, cream, and red geometric blocks, this quilt represents the distinctive artistry of Gee's Bend and the creative legacy Grandma passed down through generations of our family.

Through this keepsake, I'm honored to share both her beautiful work and the story of the woman behind it.

History Behind the Piece

Created in 1945, Grandma's Housetop Nine Block Half Log Cabin Variation features nine geometric blocks arranged in a bold composition of green, cream, and red.

The quilt reflects the Housetop and Log Cabin design traditions associated with Gee's Bend, Alabama, where generations of women transformed fabric into extraordinary works of art.

Grandma was more than a talented quilter. She was a mother of thirteen, a teacher of quilting traditions, and a community leader whose contributions extended into civil rights and efforts to improve life for Black families in Gee's Bend.

Alongside her husband, Little Pettway, whom we called Papa, she helped shape the community while raising a family whose creative traditions continue today.

Grandma taught her daughters to quilt and shared her knowledge with younger generations. At least five generations of her descendants are carrying that quilting legacy forward, with family members living and creating around the world.

Her 1945 quilt is part of that continuing family story.

About This Keepsake

Originally created for the 4th Annual Airing of the Quilts Festival in 2025, this commemorative postcard celebrates the life, artistry, and community contributions of Martha Jane Pettway.

The front features an image of Grandma's Housetop Nine Block Half Log Cabin Variation (1945), with the quilt's title, her name, and the festival identification.

The reverse includes a detailed biographical tribute sharing her family history, her contributions to quilting and civil rights, her role in teaching younger generations, and the recognition of her work in museum collections.

Designed as both a collectible keepsake and a functional postcard, it offers a meaningful way to share a piece of Gee's Bend history.

Mail it, frame it, display it, or add it to your collection of African American art and heritage.

Product Details

• Product: Individual commemorative heritage postcard
• Title: Martha Jane Pettway – Housetop Nine Block (1945)
• Featured Quilter: Martha Jane Pettway (1898–2003)
• Featured Quilt: Housetop Nine Block Half Log Cabin Variation (1945)
• Artwork: Image of Grandma's original quilt
• Reverse: Biographical tribute and traditional postcard writing area
• Collection: Gee's Bend Quilters Legacy Collection
• Originally Created For: 4th Annual Airing of the Quilts Festival, 2025
• Format: Functional, mailable postcard
• Quantity: One individual postcard
• Price: $5.00

From My Family to Yours

For more than 30 years, I've researched and preserved the history of my family, tracing the stories of the Pettway, Bendolph, Miller, and Young families of Gee's Bend.

As Grandma's great-granddaughter, these quilts represent much more to me than celebrated works of art. They are part of my family's history, created by women whose lives, experiences, and contributions continue to shape our story.

The biography on this postcard reflects the family history I've spent decades preserving, including Grandma's dedication to her children, grandchildren, and the generations who followed.

Through Sweet Martha's Family Farmacy, I'm proud to share these keepsakes as part of my family's continuing story, honoring our ancestors while celebrating the descendants who are carrying their traditions forward today.

Heritage Note

Gee's Bend quilting is not simply a tradition of the past. It is a living artistic heritage carried forward by descendants who continue to create, teach, and share their work around the world.

Grandma's Housetop Nine Block Half Log Cabin Variation is one expression of that legacy, connecting her artistry in 1945 with the generations of family who continue quilting today.

Every postcard in this collection is an opportunity to share our history through the voices of the families who lived it.

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