Nicole & Halcyon

I was hoping to surprise my Mom, who is a longtime admirer of their work and a studier of the history of Gee's Bend, with this trip as a gift. Together we were excited to learn from experts while also absorbing the rich and important history of the area and artwork.

We came in with no quilting experience but they were wonderful, patient teachers who guided us through the process, teaching us so much in such a short amount of time. We began the experience touching down in a historic home filled with love and memories. 

Our first day began with Marlene and Loretta guiding us through color and fabric choices for our very own quilt, while hearing the stories of their families and the history of Gee's Bend. We learned everything from piecing together the quilt top with traditional patterns (like the housetop, bear paw, and lazy gal) to the process of hand quilting. And even better, our days of quilting were accompanied by majestic views of the Alabama River from the porch of Marlene's family home. Because of Marlene and Loretta's incredible talent, we were able to finish an entire quilt in a week, while still having time to visit neighboring Camden and the historic Selma. Loretta also gave us a wonderful tour of Gee's Bend which allowed us to meet other quilters and see the beautiful sights. 

We had a truly wonderful experience with Loretta and Marlene—two of the nicest and most talented women we’ve ever met! We learned from living legends, and jumpstarted our own future creative projects. Best of all, we brought home a new family heirloom for future generations!