Clara Ford Quilt Gallery

An exhibition of the quilts of Clara Ford, who lived and quilted in Crossett, Arkansas until her death in 1966. Visit www.clarafordfoundation.org for more information about African American quilts and quilters.

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Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Soon after beginning to quilt, I inherited eight of my grandmother's quilts. My grandmother Clara Ford was born December 12, 1892 and died May 20, 1966. She lived and quilted in Crossett, Arkansas. My mother was one of her six children. This site is dedicated to her memory,the preservation of her quilts and the preservation of antique quilts made by African Americans. I started quilting as a way to balance the stress in a high profile job. Along the way, I found my bliss. I love the notion of putting together pieces that may be ugly standing alone, but become gloriously beautiful when made a part of the whole. I love sharing my bliss by giving my quilts to others. I am a founding member of the Brown Sugar Stitchers Quilt Guild in Atlanta. The members are predominantly African American, and their unique view of color and style is a source of constant inspiration for me. I am the founder of the Clara Ford Foundation, a foundation that honors my grandmother's quilts.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Grandmothers and Quilts

My grandmother Clara Ford was born December 12, 1892 and died May 20, 1966. She was a quilter. The most memorable thing about her small home in Crossett, Arkansas was the huge quilt frame that took up the entire living room. She always had some scraps around. My sisters and I called her Big Mama.

Big Mama taught me how to sew. I had lots of feed sack skirts that we made on her Singer peddle sewing machine. I was glad she taught me to sew. When I got to high school I skipped the required home economics class and took French instead. No need to learn what you already know. I didn’t see the value in quilting at the time.

When my mother died in 2000, I inherited some of Big Mama’s quilts. They had been locked away in a trunk stored in the back of the closet. By then, I had become a quilter. I understood the value of my inheritance and knew I would forever be rich.

I plan to create the Clara Ford Foundation so that my grandmother’s quilts can be preserved for future generations. I hope they live forever – just like the Declaration of Independence – just like Michaelangelo’s paintings.

I hope you enjoy Clara’s quilts and her legacy.