Lindsey Millen: Creating Original Artwork - Class of 2028

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Above is a picture of a quilt I've been working on, made from crochet patches hand-stitched together. I was inspired recently by the artwork of the Gullah Geechee people, a culture of African Americans descended from survivors of chattel slavery along the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Known for many aspects of their culture— including storytelling, spirituality, and Creole language— the Gullah Geechee also contributed quite a lot to the world of crafting. Some notable crafts of the Gullah Geechee people include basketweaving, wood carving, and quilt making. Their quilts especially are revered for their capacity to showcase history and culture through a physical medium consisting only of fabric and hand-sewn patches. 

My quilt, shown above, is quite basic, seeing as it is my first venture into quilt making. It serves mostly as a practice for me to learn the techniques of hand-sewing before delving deeper into the art of quilt making. Going forward, I would like to attempt more challenging stitches and patterns, finding ones which speak to me and my own history and culture. I have begun making patches for other projects, including a Spelman College Cardigan which I detailed in another post. I hope to eventually combine these skills to make a larger Spelman College quilt, which will most likely be my project for the year. 

Lindsey Millen