{"product_id":"martha-jane-pettway-housetop-nine-block-1945-postcard","title":"Martha Jane Pettway – Housetop Nine Block (1945) Legacy Postcard","description":"\u003cp\u003eSome 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis postcard features \u003cem\u003eHousetop Nine Block Half Log Cabin Variation\u003c\/em\u003e (1945), a quilt created by my great-grandmother, Martha Jane Pettway, whom I called Grandma.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrough this keepsake, I'm honored to share both her beautiful work and the story of the woman behind it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHistory Behind the Piece\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eCreated in 1945, Grandma's \u003cem\u003eHousetop Nine Block Half Log Cabin Variation\u003c\/em\u003e features nine geometric blocks arranged in a bold composition of green, cream, and red.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGrandma 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlongside her husband, Little Pettway, whom we called Papa, she helped shape the community while raising a family whose creative traditions continue today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGrandma 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHer 1945 quilt is part of that continuing family story.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAbout This Keepsake\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginally 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe front features an image of Grandma's \u003cem\u003eHousetop Nine Block Half Log Cabin Variation\u003c\/em\u003e (1945), with the quilt's title, her name, and the festival identification.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDesigned as both a collectible keepsake and a functional postcard, it offers a meaningful way to share a piece of Gee's Bend history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMail it, frame it, display it, or add it to your collection of African American art and heritage.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eProduct Details\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduct:\u003c\/strong\u003e Individual commemorative heritage postcard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Martha Jane Pettway – Housetop Nine Block (1945)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeatured Quilter:\u003c\/strong\u003e Martha Jane Pettway (1898–2003)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeatured Quilt:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eHousetop Nine Block Half Log Cabin Variation\u003c\/em\u003e (1945)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArtwork:\u003c\/strong\u003e Image of Grandma's original quilt\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReverse:\u003c\/strong\u003e Biographical tribute and traditional postcard writing area\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e Gee's Bend Quilters Legacy Collection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOriginally Created For:\u003c\/strong\u003e 4th Annual Airing of the Quilts Festival, 2025\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e Functional, mailable postcard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQuantity:\u003c\/strong\u003e One individual postcard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrice:\u003c\/strong\u003e $5.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFrom My Family to Yours\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrough 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHeritage Note\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eGee'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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGrandma's \u003cem\u003eHousetop Nine Block Half Log Cabin Variation\u003c\/em\u003e is one expression of that legacy, connecting her artistry in 1945 with the generations of family who continue quilting today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery postcard in this collection is an opportunity to share our history through the voices of the families who lived it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOur family. Our stories. Our voices. Our living legacy.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Sweet Martha's Family Farmacy","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52314732429628,"sku":null,"price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0788\/4904\/8892\/files\/2-20251006_145239_0001.png?v=1760762860","url":"https:\/\/sweetmarthafarmacy.com\/products\/martha-jane-pettway-housetop-nine-block-1945-postcard","provider":"Sweet Martha's Family Farmacy","version":"1.0","type":"link"}