How a Group of Women in This Small Alabama Town Perfected the Art of Quilting | Op-Docs 

It is absolutely unconscionable that some slick art dealer has absconded with these elderly women's literal life work, and has not contacted them or paid them a dime. The public wants to know who took these women's quilts without compensating them?

"We're gonna leave this all behind one day. It's not ours in the beginning; we're just only borrowing it, for the time we are here." thats so profound and beautiful.

These dear women deserve all the recognition and respect in the world. 💐

My grandmother, my great grandmother, and I all quilt. These are beautiful quilts made with love and a respect for past and present traditions and faith. Beautiful and stunning. I would be honored to quilt with such amazing people.

Shame on the art dealers for not paying these gifted arrtists the full payment.these women are so pure of mind and soul

It seems so unfair that these ladies were not rewarded for their efforts. Such beautiful quilts made with such love and passion.The people who took the quilts and would have recieved a generous sum of money should be ashamed of themselves. These ladies dont have much but are so content and find their strength from the lord our god. What i also admire is that every scrap of material isnt wasted and just look at the results. So beautiful. God bless these ladies.

*As a native born & bred Alabamian I can confidently say that the women of Gees Bend & their beautiful quilt work is known, loved & respected far & wide.* *I could sit & watch these Aunt's quilt & listen to them sing & tell stories for days.* *And anyone who knows anything about about women such as these & white people & the relationships between the two can tell you that the women are so loving, caring & welcoming to any/every body. They let us white children call them Aunt So & So. I myself lived in the same neighborhood as a black woman named Bessie. Aunt Bessie always had something to eat & drink for all the neighborhood kids. And if we did anything bad Aunt Bessie would tear our hides up too & no parent ever said a word. They knew if Aunt Bessie whooped us that we had deserved it. I loved my Aunt Bessie & miss her dearly.* ❤️

I loved this film. I loved the women. I loved their quilts . I loved the peace and wisdom.

My daughter actually quilts and has been doing that for many years. She received my Great Grandmother's quilt that was given to me (Great was born in 1896). My Great Grandmother and Grandmother quilted together and she has that quilt as well. She learned how to quilt based on those quilts from the grandmothers! Awesome history...

I so admire these women. Just watching them quilting and singing together blesses my heart.

Watching them sing and lay hands on those quilts is the most powerful thing. Humbling to watch.

This is the most poetic thing I've ever seen. I am in awe.

Their life is simple, and their sense of community is what makes them feel secure. What patience they have, and “I don’t have to be perfect” says it all.

It's on my bucket list. I want to go and visit these sweet ladies and get a quilting lesson or two from them. I'm a self taught quilter and these ladies are an inspiration to me. Precious!!!!

These women are an inspiration. We surely can learn something from them.

Beginning quilter. Watched my grandma quilt. I had to. She would call me out to thread her needle. It was a blessing but more than that it is an on time blessing. I enjoy giving away quits as gifts. I mostly do baby quilts which I enjoy so much a personal gift for children and their mothers...looking to reclaim this part of my heritage..I also enjoyed watching this video...and listening thanks so much

This video touches my heart and soul in many ways. I like the beginning where she talks about trees. Every tree is unique, different and lovely in it's own way, just like people. We are not meant to be just alike. God created us to be just like we are!

I've been a lover of their quilt art for years. They are absolutely breathtaking.

There’s something so comforting about watching quilting, especially when the elder women would quilt - mothers and grandmothers, and great-grandmothers, and great-aunts ♥️🥰🌷,

I take my hat off to these sistas. I am a machine quilter and just don't have the patience to sew by hand. I love that they have made beautiful use of scraps. I have a pile of scraps and too afraid to start a scrap quilt. What beautiful work they do.

I was taught the basics of quilting by an 85 yr old lady with alzheimers. I was 48 . My work could never measure up to the quality of what these talented beautiful ladies do. Btw, im in Alabama too. I may have to look these ladies up sometime. 😊when they started singin " swing low sweet chariot" i wanted to do my happy dance. I love this song and grew up hearing it in church and my mama would sing it too. 😀

I loved this. I felt so peaceful hearing the singing.-You all feel like heaven to me. I am so pleased that we moved here to Alabama. I finally found a place that will teach me and my son quilting. We are working on our first quilts. 🥰

Their voices (not just singing but also speaking) soothe my mind....

This beautiful video about these Black soul sisters takes me back to my childhood in Myrtlewood, AL, where I spent years being taught quilting and so many other things by an old Black woman named Timmie Tidmore. Her lessons are still with me today at age 68. RIP Timmie.

Your work is more than beautiful--- your quilting work is spiritual. Many years ago, I had the opportunity to see your exhibition at Atlanta's High Museum of Art. You will be an inspiration and a blessing to people all over the world for many years to come. Each person who hears your story and sees your quilted works of art has received a lasting blessing as well. Thank you for sharing your gift of quilting!

You are so easy to love. Back in England, I am thrilled to watch your lives enfold. I have a book about you...God bless you every day. Lynne

Such beautiful Mothers and their work ♥️🌷

I made a quilt for my baby niece as a first try at this activity. There is definitely an art and patience to piecing it together.

What beautiful women; their souls shine through their art. It is disgusting that dealers took advantage of them and never paid them for their quilts! But they, and their art - these women - moved me to tears.

I enjoyed this so much, but cannot believe they were not compensated for their quilts!! These women are inspirational in their art, faith and love of family. Awesome!!

Thumbs up for these women. Thumbs down that no one has investigated what happened, payment etc.

Thank you for the opportunity to admire these quilts.

These women are such a blessing!!!

These ladies and their quilts have been featured on Alex Anderson’s quilting show. They have been featured in books I have borrowed from the library

Beautiful quilts, traditions, and people. This is really educational and these women are so important. History should be respected and people too.

WOW! That quilt on the clothes line at 11:18 is so beautiful! And then at 12:00! The KNOCKOUT to me is the one at 12:20! I would love to have a quilt like that! Do these ladies sell their quilts? The Smithsonian should have cut them checks for those quilts. I've seen them blow money on "important" clothing pieces from estates. This is American craftsmanship and important pieces from our African American citizens that need to be celebrated and viewed. "

Can I come and stay for awhile ? I would love to just come and fellowship together. I saw a PBS special about 7 years ago, about Gee’s Bend. Since that day I have been collecting pieces of fabric. I want to be a quilter. May God bless these ladies with all things beautiful regardless.

I never realized before how beautiful the Gees Bend are.

What wonderfull ladies,, im out of breath, love them.. ❤️❤️❤️❤️They should be Payed 10000000,s of dollars

I loved this video. What a wonderful community of artist, a women that make this world a beautiful place, one stitch at a time. I particularly enjoy how nature, family and friends were woven into a masterpiece. Thank you! María from California, originally from Colombia. 🧵💕👏🏼

LOVE their Talents! So sad that someone took advantage of them. Breaks my heart.

There is such a stillness around this community. We have so much to learn.

Ladies, you're doing a great kind of art!

Beautiful and gifted hands!. God gives us all different talents

Your work is beautiful. Your work reflects your beautiful souls.

Americans are so different, it’s nice to learn about those not on the television

Gorgeous story. Lovely lovely women!!! It’s disturbing that someone would sell the quilts without permission... 😔

🙏🏻💐❤️thank you for this story. I am inspired by the love, strength, commitment and creativity of this community of women. 🌷

i would travel there to learn from them. It would be worth it.

My ancestors are from this region of Alabama. I inherited 5 Quilts from my grandmother and a few date back to the late 19th century.

I love 💕 too watch these ladies make these beautiful quilts and reminds me of my coming up. This is what my mother and sister did a family of 14 children. Praise God I'm 78 yrs. Old trying my hand at quilting now. Thanks for sharing your work,🙏💞

I’ve been to Gee’s Bend and the museum there. Those quilts are gorgeous. I wish my quilts looked that good.

What a beautiful story, I am in awe of you.!

Wow i love to see this❤😢..this is my family on my dad side..definitely remember our family reunions, going up there every may...I remember my great mother making quilts all the time. Martha J Pettway lived until she was 105...i was 15 by then..what a blessing🙏. Such amazing rooted women(family) to be apart of!!🫶

Beautiful, strong women, Beautiful quilters.

I would love to buy one of their quilts.

Beautiful works and women and such a wonderful legacy they hand down.

My soul needed this❤️

Through hardship and faith, beauty abounds. Sorry Ladies that you were taken advantage of and your beautiful quilts were stolen.

God bless you beautiful ladies and your wonderful quilts. X

I already know how to quilt, but there is one thing on my bucket list that is very close to my heart: I want to take real singing lessons and I want to sing these Gospels too Then I can sing and quilt and sing and quilt..... it gives you a peace of mind and it brings you so close to God. It feels like love and security. When I watch these woman, I can feel, that through all the hardships, they have found an inner peace and a devine love for everything.

Love that house dress at 1:23. My grandmother had a box of these we would wear after church for Sunday dinner.

Love these women and their quilts

I appreciated this segment about quilts and intersection into African American history.

Beautiful and soul touching. The language of the human soul.❤

Who's the bounder who took their quilts to sell and never got back?!

Amazing! I loved this !!! I quilt and I am amazed at their talent and humility.

What wonderful talent & Gift of God. How beautiful! Great story. More like it! Thank you

I'd like to purchase one of those quilts.

Just watched this on pbs!!! Just so much Fabulosity!!!!! Especially with the singing... Oh, what a talent, indeed Wish they could teach me how to get those interesting patterns... simple but classic! Id also love to buy a couple cuz our heater went out last winter ...(and the landlord wont fix it), SO YES,... WE SURE COULD REALLY USE A COUPLE OF THOSE WARM BLANKETS!!! *** Wonder if they have a website and sell them Hmmm

I would love to visit these Ladies. So wonderful be proud.

Beautiful people! I hope their families do well in life.

Thank You Iadies God Bless each and every one

INSPIRATIONAL!

Gorgeous quilts and what a powerful message each women brings

Just beautiful, so much patience these ladies have.

I love this story! And these ladies are terribly inspirational. And what amazing artists!! Thankyou for sharing your passion and your art

I love this video and I would love one of their quits

These ladies are amazing. Thank you for sharing your quilts with us. ❤

Thank you for sharing your wonderful story. Bless you heart

Just the ladies talking and singing reminds me of my mama! 😊

What amazing women and beautiful work! I love this video.

Beautiful people, beautiful quilts. And now I've read the comments below. I hope the ladies got recompense.

This was so beautiful.

The amazing journey of the Gee’s Bend Quilt Guild in Alabama. These women are truly inspiring to me. I hope you got as much from this documentary as I did. It’s full of history some of which is hard for me to swallow. What a hard road these woman have had to follow but now they are making their own roads. Praise you Jesus!!

I love to quilt. I love these quilting ladies.

Beautiful quilts. Thank you for sharing.

Beautiful works of art.

Stunning. Gorgeous!

wondering 😍these works are the works of a master. I admire a lot.😍

Your work is beautiful and I just love the quilts that you all have made

That was probably one of the best things I’ve watched in many a year 👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍

Inspiring...wish I had their serenity...

Wonderful - Chapeau!

THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS.... I bought the book a few years ago.

WOW! Powerful beyond words!

Thanks for posting this beautiful video. Life can be so simple yet profound and deeply spiritual.... from the bottom of my heart ♥️, Ariela from Chile 🇨🇱

Q música relaxante quando elas cantaram

Amazing

Ladies your quilts are beautiful and I would have been honored to quilt with you. I also pray that your lives have gotten much easier. My mother picked Cotten and also had to cook from 6 years old