This is Harriet Powers.

Harriet Powers was born a slave in Georgia in 1839.

She had 9 children and learned quilt making from her mother and grandmother.

Harriet followed in the tradition of her ancestors from Africa who made colorful scrap quilts like this one using the appliqué technique

Appliqué is when an artist cuts out a shape from fabric and applies it to a background of another fabric.

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Only two of her amazing quilts have survived, and they are what we call “Story Quilts” with each block, or section of the quilt depicting something different.

Here’s one of Harriet Powers’ Quilts

In the Southern United States after the civil war, when many black women worked in households and small farms, quilts were made out of necessity from whatever scrap material could be found close to hand, including discarded clothing and feed sacks.

Here’s an example of a contemporary African American Story Quilt

Even today, artists are carrying on the traditions of their ancestors.

Today we will be making our own story quilt squares just like Harriet Powers.

Here is a helpful tutorial on “running stitch”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1-B01FB56s

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