Visit My New Web Site

Please visit my new studio web site. The address is www.moli.com/ovbrantley. There you can see most of my quilts in one place and read my blog to keep up with what I am doing. Visit today.

Quilts in Centennial Park This Sunday

Quilter Belinda Pedroso has organized a quilt exhibit that can be seen at Centennial Park in Atlanta this Sunday between 12 and 5 p.m. The exhibit is part of the National Black Arts Festival. The exhibit will showcase the quilts made by teachers and parents in the Atlanta Public School System as well as quilts by members of the Brown Sugar Stitchers Quilt Guild. My quilt Black Butterfly will be part of the exhibit.

There will be workshops as well. The schedule is as follows:

12:00pm-1:00pm Quilt History and Block Construction by Belinda Pedroso

1:00pm-2:00pm Fabric Dying by Ray Barreras

2:00pm-3:00pm Hand Quilting Lesson by Lynette Smith

3:00pm-4:00pm Quilt Stories by Aisha Lumumba

4:00pm-5:00pm Total enjoyment of quilting exhibit.

For more information, email Belinda at auntbequilts@bellsouth.net

Spice Tea with Brown Sugar, Please

The Brown Sugar Stitchers gathered for their annual tea Saturday. Of course, there was a challenge. This year's challenge was to make any testile project with a tea theme. Spice Tea with Brown Sugar, Please was my entry. It is machine pieced and quilted and measures 24 x 32 inches.

Now that it has done its showing off at the tea, it is for sale.

"Having it All" sold at GABWA Auction

Having It All was auctioned June 28, 2008 at the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys annual gala. It went for $500.00 to an Atlanta attorney. Proceeds benefit the organization's scholarship fund.

"Panama Paradise #1" Offered for Sale

Panama Paradise #1 is currently offered for sale in the Clara Ford Foundation EBay Store. The center block of this quilt was purchased in Panama.

The quilt measures 41 x 39 inches. It is machine quilted and has a hanging sleeve on the back.

The sales price is $225.00

"Fulton County Attorneys" On Display at Fulton County Attorneys Office

Fulton County Attorneys, 87 x 107 inches, 2001, currently displayed at the Fulton County Attorney's Office, 141 Pryor Street, Suite 4038, Atlanta, GA.

"Friends and Foes are Welcome Here" On Display at Fulton County Attorneys Office

Friends and Foes are Welcome Here, 72 x 80 inches, 2003, currently displayed at the Fulton County Attorney's Office, 141 Pryor Street, Suite 4038, Atlanta, GA.

"Martin's Dream" on display at Fulton County Attorney's Office

Martin's Dream , 74 x 87 inches, 2002, currently on display at the Fulton County Attorney's Office,141 Pryor Street, Suite 4038, Atlanta, GA.

"Life's Twists and Turns" at Fulton County Attorneys Ofice

Life's Twists and Turns, 76 x 99 inches, 2002, currently on display at the Fulton County Attorney's Office,141 Pryor Street, Suite 4038, Atlanta, GA.

Costa Rican Paradise #1 Offered for Sale

Costa Rican Paradise # 1 is currently offered for sale in the Clara Ford Foundation Ebay Store. The center block of this quilt was purchased in Costa Rica. It is hand quilted.

The sales price is $195.00

A Southern Summer Day

I hope you are enjoying some lazy time this summer. A Southern Summer Day is my lazy day reminder quilt.

A Garden of Strength and Beauty Makes Ms. Swartz Smile

When your 10th grader comes home and says her English teacher "needs" a quilt, you have to go with that. India and I chose to allow Ms. Ann Swartz to adopt A Garden of Strength and Beauty because it just seemed to suit her. Ms. Swartz is a gardener, a survivor of breast cancer, and was going through some personal challenges, according to India.

This quilt always made me smile. Hopefully, it will make her smile too.

P.S. It was also a great way to say thank you for making my daughter love English.

Sax Man Goes to its New Home

Sax Man was made to commemorate the reirement of Tom Andrews from Fulton County last December. Tom was the County Manager of Fulton County during my tenure as County Attorney.

Tom played in jazz bands in his younger days. Hopefully retirement will allow him to get that saxophone out of the closet.

Justin's Sweet Home Finds a New Home

Remember Justin's Sweet Home? At the time I made it, it was for no particular purpose. Now it is gone to Milwaukee to live with Ms. Eileen Beard. When Ms. Beard was diagnosed with breast cancer, my nephew Lance Reed who is one of her co-workers, organized the effort to get her a quilt.

My quilts have been known to have healing powers. In fact, all things made with love have healing powers.

Send up a prayer for Ms. Beard.

The Lady is A Lawyer raises $1800 for Women of Color Scholarship Fund

Fifty years ago, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed May 1 Law Day. It is to be a "day of national dedication to the principle of government under law."

In honor of Law Day I share with you a quilt called The Lady is a Lawyer. It was donated to the Women of Color Attorneys for auction to raise money for its scholarship fund. I am happy to report that this quilt sold for $1800! I am thankful that I was able to play a small part in helping a young woman of color attend law school.

This quilt is part of my African Canvas Memory Quilt series and is #75 of the 100 quilts in that series.

Black Butterfly inspired by India

I often say quilting is my therapy. I made Black Butterfly for the express purpose of helping me let go of my teenager. What do you do when all of a sudden your little baby girl is a woman?

My quilt Black Butterfly was inspired by the lyrics of a Denice Williams song called Black Butterfly. Part of the song says,

"Cause now that you're free and the world has come to see,

Just how proud and beautiful you are."

This quilt measures 70 x 87 inches. It has 12 black and white butterfly blocks that were hand appliqued. The butterfly blocks are offset by black and white hearts and set on point.

The quilt was exquisitely quilted by Ina Sanders. It is part of my private collection and India's inheritance.

A Mother's Prayer Offered for Sale

My most recent quilt was completed over spring break. Being on a cruise allowed me the time to finish the hand quilting on A Mother's Prayer. The hand quilting is a combination of stippling and heart motifs. Although this is a simple quilt, its quiet beauty is stunning.

A Mother's Prayer measures 36 x 60 inches. It is signed, dated and has a hanging sleeve on the back for easy display. It is currently for sale in the Clara Ford Foundation EBay Store.

I Survived Spring Break With My Teenager

India and I just returned from an eight-day cruise to the Caribbean. We had ports of call in Cozumel, Costa Rica and Panama. I am always searching for fabric when I travel, but I must admit this trip was not very fruitful. I did find some beautiful embroidered squares that may find their way into a future quilt. I usually try to commemorate our cruises with a quilt.

Notwithstanding striking out on the fabric search, it was a lovely cruise. I always take a quilting project with me to work on while I tan. Quilting poolside always draws a crowd and makes it easy to meet quilters from around the world.

The quilt shown here is from an earlier cruise in 2004 when I did find fabric. It contains fabric from Belize and the Cayman Islands. It is called Inspiration after the Carnival ship we sailed on that year.

#2 Goes to Blanche Nichols

Awesome African Elephants in My Garden #2 was given to Blanche Nichols. Sometimes when you go through a trying experience with someone, you are somehow joined for life. Such is the case with Blanche and me.

Early in my career as a young lawyer in the City of Atlanta Law Department, I represented Blanche in a personnel case filed against her by one of her employees. Blanche was a Major in the Atlanta Police Department at the time. Having risen through the ranks in a tough male environment, Blanch was definitely a person of quiet strength, but being sued for the first time can rattle anyone. We won the case, and I know Blanche was happy about that. However, more importantly for me, this case was my epiphamy that there is something about me that makes strong people place their trust in me during their toughest moments. That was an eye opening lesson for me that defined the rest of my legal career.

#8 Goes to Allegra Lawrence Hardy

Awesome African Elephants in My Garden #8 was given to Allegra Lawrence Hardy. Over the years I watched Allegra grow from a young associate in her law firm to a high powered partner. She did so with joy and grace. Allegra is one of my avid quilt collectors so I always intended to give her a quilt, but when I found out she loves purple, #8 seemed to be the perfect quilt for her.

#4 goes to David Ware

Awesome African Elephants in My Garden #4 was the first quilt in the series given to a person of quiet strength. That person was David Ware, and the quilt was presented on the day of my retirement from Fulton County. David is a person willing to take on the tough challenges and to help others with their tough challenges. David is not only a great lawyer, but a lawyer with great faith.

Awesome African Elephants in My Garden #4 was chosen for David because of its sunny disposition – tall and strong and happy. I hope David is enjoying his quilt.

Gifts For People of Quiet Strength

I originally started the Awesome African Elephants in My Garden series as a way to experiment with coupling traditional patterns with Afro-centric fabric. The quilts were just another step in my growth as a quilter. Each quilt in the series starts with a traditional 12 x 12 inch block. After that I let my imagination go with only one rule. There must be elephants in the quilt. Usually there are also African fabrics. All of the quilts in the 12 quilt series measure approximately 48 x 48 inches and have a herd of elephants on the back.

Why elephants? I guess because if you pledge Delta Sigma Theta Sorority as I did over 30 years ago, you learn to love elephants. Also, because they are truly awesome animals – strong but gentle. It doesn’t hurt that they bring you good luck if they have their trunks up.

About half way through the series, I decided I have too many quilts and needed to give some away. So I came up with my personal awards show – the Person of Quiet Strength Award! Since I plan to keep #1 for myself, there are 11 people out there who will receive my Person Of Quiet Strength Award.

Shown here is #1 in the series.

Justin's Sweet Home

Sometimes I make a quilt for absolutely no reason except for the joy of it. Justin’s Sweet Home is such a quilt. I like leaf quilts because I am drawn to the luscious fall colors. This quilt was named for my dog Justin because I love to see him running around our yard exploring what we call his kingdom. After a twice a day exploration, Justin is quite content to live inside sleeping amongst the sofa pillows.

Justin’s Sweet Home measures 64 x 87 inches. It was quilted in a leaf motif in variegated thread by my friend Maxine Moore.

Do Flowers Dream? in Bulloch Hall Quilt Show

Do Flowers Dream? has been accepted into the Bulloch Hall Quilt Show. This annual quilt show will be held March 8 -16, 2008 at Bulloch Hall, 180 Bulloch Avenue, Roswell, GA.

There are usually around 200 quilts in the show. It is definitely worth the trip.

I Got You Roses. Happy Valentine's Day!

Roses are Red is my tribute to Valentine's Day. Of course being a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, any excuse to make a red and white quilt has to be utilized. In fact, I plan to write a book featuring red and white quilts.

The flowers in the border of Roses are Red are appliqued by hand and embellished with buttons. The quilt measures 74 x 94 inches and is part of my personal collection.

Queen of Nobody waits for Mr. Right.

We all go through down periods where love is concerned. I made Queen of Nobody during such a period. The queen in this quilt is decidedly blue, but a queen nonetheless.

She reminds me not to compromise. Once a queen, always a queen.

Through the Bonds of Delta - My Tribute to My Sorority

I recently attended the annual Delta Sigma Theta Metro Atlanta Founders Day celebration. I can't believe it's been so many years since I became a member of the Lambda Theta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta at the Univeristy of Arkansas in 1974!

Through the Bonds of Delta is my first Delta quilt. The pattern is a double Irish chain, and it plays into the name of the quilt. It was finished in 2001 and remains part of my personal collection. It measures 73 x 88 inches.

Banish the Winter Doldrums with "My Crown Jewels"

Are gray winter skies sucking the life blood out of you? Then My Crown Jewels is for you. You have to really like color to love this quilt.

Those who know my attachment to taupes and other subdued earth tones cannot believe I made this quilt. Hey, we should all step out of our box every now and then!

My Crown Jewels measures 52 x 65 inches. It has a hanging sleeve on the back for easy display, and it is signed and dated. It is listed for sale in the Clara Ford Foundation Ebay Store.

Dreaming of Africa (Part Two) offered for sale

Dreaming of Africa (Part Two) is listed for sale in the Clara Ford Foundation Ebay store. It measures 16 x 41 inches and the price is $125.00.

Dreaming of Africa (Part Two) is #69 of 100 in the African Canvas Memory Quilt series. Each quilt in this series is signed, numbered and dated. There will only be 100 quilts in this series, and they have been acquired by people all over the world.

Dreaming of Africa (Part One) Up For Auction

Dreaming of Africa (Part One) is currently being auctioned on Ebay. The starting price is $72.00.

Dreaming of Africa (Part One) is #68 of 100 in the African Canvas Memory Quilt series. Each quilt in this series is signed, numbered and dated. There will only be 100 quilts in this series, and they have been acquired by people all over the world. It measures 32 x 21 inches.

Snuggling Up Under "Feeling Country"

Although I like to think of most of my quilts as "show quilts", every now and then I make a traditional quilt whose sole purpose is to snuggle up under. Since we got snow in Atlanta this week, I wanted to share Feeling Country.

I won the fabric squares at a quilt guild meeting, so I figured I might as well us them. Feeling Country is a traditional scrap quilt made to go great with a cup of hot chocolate and a roaring fire in the fire place.

Enjoy!

A Garden of Strength and Beauty makes me smile!

Every now and then I make a quilt just for me. The latest "me" quilt is A Garden of Strength and Beauty. This quilt is part of my personal collection.

Gentleman Farmer will find a home in Alabama.

Since I was so busy making Christmas quilts for the Clara Ford Found Christmas Tour of Quilts, I only gave away one quilt as a gift this year. The quilt is called Gentleman Farmer. I generally don't do commissioned quilts. Somehow it takes the joy out of it for me. But when a special friend called and said she was dating someone who had absolutely everything except an "O.V. Brantley quilt", what could I do but help her give the perfect gift?!

Gentleman Farmer is made from 20 different fabrics that reflect the recipient's love of the outdoors. There is a wine print on the back because he also makes his own wine. It measures 64 x 80 inches, has a hanging sleeve on the back, and is signed and dated.

I hope he likes it. But more importantly, I hope he is worthy of my friend and the quilt.

Santa's Secret Weapon

Who needs elves when you can have these smart, sneaky scotties to help make your Christmas special?

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ME TO YOU!

Ivye's Flower Garden Heads to New Home

Ivye's Flower Garden is a housewarming gift for Ivye Allen. Ivye and I serve on the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation Board together. Ivye recently got a new job that caused her to relocate and buy a new home. Hopefully, Ivye's Flower Garden will help her new home feel special.

Ivye's Flower Garden measures 58 x82 inches. The colors in the quilt were chosen basen on paint chips that Ivye shared with me. It will arrive at her house in time for Christmas.

Christmas Traditions part of Clara Ford Foundation Christmas Tour of Quilts

Christmas Traditions is a row by row quilt created by the quilt store Quilts and Fixins in Jonesboro, Georgia. This quilt has a little of everything in it -- stars, trees, candy canes and Santa. The quilt measures 73 x 83 inches.

Christmas Traditions is on display during the month of December at the Helene Mills Multi-purpose Senior Center, 515 John Wesley Dobbs, Atlanta, GA 30315 as part of the Clara Ford Foundation 1st Annual Christmas Tour of Quilts.

Candy Cane Christmas part of Clara Ford Foundation Christmas Tour of Quilts

I love making Christmas quilts. With the Clara Ford Foundation sponsoring its 1st Annual Christmas Tour of Quilts, I had to really get busy this year. Candy Cane Christmas is one of my 2007 Christmas quilts.

Candy Cane Christmas is composed of 13 sampler blocks offset by candy cane blocks. This quilt is large measuring 71 x 78 inches.

The Clara Ford Foundation Christmas Tour of Quilts runs through the month of December. Quilts are exhibited at three of the Fulton County Multi-Purpose Senior Centers.

Beautiful Mother Commemorates Retirement

This wall hanging was created for Sherryl Williams, a very special friend, to commemorate her retirement. Aside from being just an all around great person and hard worker, Sherryl is an exceptional mother to her daughter. I named the quilt Beautiful Mother to honor her.

Do Flowers Dream?

Do Flowers Dream? is a quilt that I worked on over the past year. It is a block of the month quilt sponsored by the Intown Quilt Shop. All of the blocks were appliqued by hand. I enjoy participating in Block of the Month programs because, since someone else chooses the pattern and the fabric, it allows you to work outside your normal box.

Such is the case with this quilt. These are not my normal colors -- bright oranges, lime greens and brilliant yellows are just not me. When I looked at the finished blocks, I thought, "I've never seen any flowers that look like that!"

But they were so sassy, I wondered, "Do flowers dream of being more than they are like people?"

I hope so.

The beautiful custom quilting was done by Janna Bigelow. She perfectly offset my sassy flowers with a swirling wind pattern that makes them look as if they are dancing. This quilt is part of my private collection.

Life is Good on Loan to Mills Senior Center

Life is Good, Be Thankful is currently on loan to the Helene Mills Senior Center. The quilt will be on display until December, 2007.

The Helene Mills Senior Center is located at 515 John Wesley Dobbs Avenue, Atlanta, GA.

Gossip While You Work #4 Completes the Series

I suppose it's time for the gossiping ladies to stop gossiping and focus on their work. Gossip While You Work #4 is the last quilt in this series of quilts. The other quilts in the series have all found new homes. Hopefully this one will too.

Gossip While You Work #4 measures 41 x 49 inches. In this quilt the gossiping ladies are surrounded by turquoise, brown and black borders. The quilt is signed and dated.

Gossip While You Work #4 is offered for sale in the Clara Ford Foundation EBay Store.

Standing Strong and Tall #1 Offered for Sale

I admire strong women, surprise surprise. Standing Strong and Tall #1 is a tribute to strong women everywhere. The women in this quilt are strong and tall and proud of it! Check out their provocative poses. Look at their vibrant dress. They are clearly comfortable with who they are.

Standing Strong and Tall #1 measures 34 x 50 inches. The purple sashing is embellished with buttons and beads. There is a hanging sleeve on the back for easy display. As are all of my quilts, it is signed and dated.

Standing Strong and Tall #1 is currently being auctioned through the Clara Ford Foundation Ebay Store.

Gossip While You Work #3 Finds a New Home

Gossip While You Work #3 was recently sold to one of my most dedicated collectors in Atlanta. This quilt is part of a four-quilt series. Each quilt starts with the African ladies in the center. To me, they appeared to be gossiping as they went about their daily tasks, hence the name.

Gossip While You Work #3 measures 39 x 43 inches. It is signed and dated.

A New Skill: Fabric Purses

The Clara Ford Foundation is participating in the Atlanta YWCA's Open Your Purse fundraiser. The event is being held September 25, 2007 at the Downtown Ritz Carlton. Four hundred (400) agressive women are expected to fight over the right to take home beautiful handbags.

The Foundation was aked to contribute fabric purses that will be auctioned at the event, and that forced me to learn how to make a fabiric handbag. I chose to make what I call Moving Uptown bags. These bags make me think of tea at Tiffany's or breakfast at Tavern on the Green -- with my own ethnic flair, of course. The bag shown here is done in an Aboriginal print.

Hmmm. There may be a line of these in my future. . . .

Fulton County Memories: A Special Quilt Gift

I sort of digressed. Let's get back to the party --The Quiltmaker's Gift Party. After I presented all of my quilts and promised to keep quilting so the unlucky ones could have hope, I was ready to thank everyone for coming. But to my amazement, out walked two pirates (Willie and Joe) with a treasure chest. There were some nice things in the chest, but guess what was at the bottom??? You guessed it -- a quilt!

Now this truly was a surprise that a staff of legal minds could manage to get me a quilt made. The quilt is beautiful and fun. I love the African prints in combination with the red border. I love anything red. But the fun part was that each member of my 40-person staff had included a charm that would remind me of them. They were so creative! India and I spent an hour playing I Spy on the quilt and trying to match the charm with the person. What a thoughtful, imaginative gift.

And people wonder why I cried when I retired. I left behind the greatest, most gifted group of people in the universe.

But as Arnold would say, "I'll be back!" They don't know it yet, but they are all a part of my future. But that's a blog for another day.

Retirement is a Bowl of Cherries: A Gift from the Quilting Sisters

In hindsight, I guess I should have known that my special group of quilting friends would not let the occasion pass without making me a quilt. I guess I also thought they could not keep a secret and when I had not heard anything. . . . . So when we gathered at our first quilting bee after I retired, and they presented me with Retirement is a Bowl of Cherries, I was totally surprised.

It has all of my favorite colors -- browns, taupes and reds. The quilting on it is beautiful. Thank you so much Roz, Marva, Max, Laura, Cathy and Bessie. It has a special place in my home library and in my heart.

Retired!

Charlotte Lindsey, one of my special quilting sisters presented me with one of her magnificent creations. She entitled it Retired!. The lady in the quilt (Me) is thinking about all the wonderful things she will get to do when she is retired -- sleep late, read, take long soaking baths, travel, visit quilt shops, take classes and have fun, fun, fun!

Isn't she beautiful?

Zulu Queen Reigns in the Nash Family

I love memory quilts. One of the things that makes quilts special are the clues to the lives of our ancestors that they contain. I created a series of quilts called the African Canvas Memory Quilt series to give others a fun way to document their lives.

This series will contain 100 quilts when finished, and Zulu Queen is number 65 of the series. It was a gift to Paula Nash for reasons you will have to visit the African Canvas Memory Quilt web site to find out.

Joe Rickman Gets Bold New Beginning

Joe Rickman was going through some life challenges at the time of my retirement. Joe, who is an investigator in the office, often came by the office to talk quilts and every other thing under the sun. Sometmes he would come by as he put it, "just to make me smile."

I hope when Joe feels challenged, that he will wrap himself up in Bold New Beginnings, calm himself and make the right decision.

Rolesia's Italian Adventure

Rolesia's Italian Adventure went home with Rolesia Dancy. I learned by prowling the hallways that Rolesia really wants to visit Italy. This quilt which is a sampler of mosaic blocks seemed perfert for her.

Rolesian's Italian Adventure is a large quilt that measures 82 x 90 inches.