Photo courtesy of Cahaba Homestead Heritage Foundation.
Renowned Gee's Bend, Alabama, quilters Mary Ann Pettway, left, and China Pettway, right
Renowned Gee's Bend, Alabama, quilters Mary Ann Pettway, left, and China Pettway, right, return for their fourth appearance and quilting workshops at Trussville Heritage Days. The pair are pictured at the 2025 welcome event.
The celebrated quilters of Gee’s Bend — whose bold patterns and improvisational designs have earned global recognition — return for their fourth appearance at Heritage Days, bringing their art, history and stories to the Trussville Public Library for three events from April 9-11.
Attendees don’t just learn stitching techniques; they can hear the stories behind quilts that once covered doors and windows, see patterns inspired by the ceilings above plantation and sharecropper beds and often find themselves in the middle of spontaneous hymn singing.
For artist Mary Ann Pettway, quilting is not simply a craft passed down through generations in the rural Black Belt community — it is a calling that has carried the story of her hometown, an important part of the Civil Rights Movement, far beyond Alabama.
“I keep quilting to keep it from dying,” Pettway said. “I’m not sure why people love the tradition, but I am grateful God has allowed us to do it in a unique way. It’s not just about the quilts; it’s about how God is allowing the quilts to let us travel and rise up and speak about Him.”
Both Gee’s Bend and the Cahaba Project of Trussville were among a small group of New Deal communities established during the Great Depression by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Cahaba Homestead Heritage Foundation President and artist Amy Peterson O’Brien discovered that link while leading an adult artists’ retreat in Gee’s Bend. The quilters were invited to the first Heritage Days celebration in 2023 and have returned ever since.
“They affect people in such a real, inspiring and deep way that people continue to come back,” O’Brien said. “It’s like a hug from a grandmother. They have this very special presence. They are just treasures.”
The three-day event begins Thursday evening with a free welcome gathering, where Pettway and fellow quilter China Pettway will share stories about their community and rich quilting tradition. Quilts and handmade items will be available for purchase. Registration is requested.
Hands-on quilting workshops, which are $50 a session, will follow Friday and Saturday. Registration is required.
Katie Evans of the Trussville Public Library said the sessions are about more than stitching.
“China and Mary Ann Pettway bring such warmth and welcome to any space they enter,” Evans said. “The quilting sometimes seems secondary to being in community with one another.”
For details or to register, go online to trussvillelibrary.org or cahabaheritage.org.
