Maker’s Monday & Workshops
Stitching Style & Stories
with Andrea Pettway Williams
& Claudia Pettway Charley
In Gee’s Bend, quilting is just part of everyday life, passed down through generations and shaped by what’s on hand, from worn clothing to scraps saved for another day. Patterns come together in bold colors and simple shapes, often learned side by side, with a spirit that’s summed up in a phrase you’ll hear often: piece alone, quilt together.
In recent years, as more people have found their way to the Bend, the quilters have carried that tradition forward while stepping into new spaces, from exhibitions to online shops and major collaborations, all while keeping the work grounded in community and shared benefit.
What makes it special
This experience is built around a rare “heritage-to-runway” conversation: participants learn quilting techniques and how Gee’s Bend’s textile language is showing up in contemporary fashion and brand collaborations like Target, Adidas, and Marfa Stance. It also offers a behind-the-scenes lens on how collaborations are chosen, structured, and talked about—an area where makers in Gee’s Bend have navigated both opportunity and challenging questions about credit, compensation, and cultural ownership.
Meet the Makers
Andrea is a third-generation quilter taught by her mother, Lorraine Pettway, and continues the Gee’s Bend quilting tradition alongside her cousin, Claudia Pettway Charley. Her work has been shown nationally, including Gee’s Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt and My Way: Gee’s Bend Today at Nicelle Beauchene Gallery, and is in the permanent collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A board member of Sew Gee’s Bend Heritage Builders (SGBHB), she teaches workshops at local programs and the annual Airing of the Quilts festival, sharing the tradition with future generations.
Claudia Pettway Charley
Claudia is a fourth-generation quilter from Gee’s Bend who learned the tradition from her mother, Tinnie Pettway. Together, they founded SGBHB in response to a need for expanded opportunities and local leadership in shaping the community’s quilting legacy. Through SGBHB, Claudia led a collaboration with Adidas as part of the brand’s “Honoring Black Excellence” initiative. She has also contributed to collaborations with Target and Marfa Stance through her role as a community liaison with Nest, helping ensure these partnerships reflect and support the makers at their center.
