Annie Bendolph produced her quilt in 1930; thus, it is one of the oldest quilts in the Gee’s Bend collection. She is shown in a 1937 photo by Arthur Rothstein of the Farm Security Administration, which hired photographers to document rural life in America. The rug based on the quilt is very dimensional: the red areas are made of low loops, with raised, cut-pile white arrows. Hand-tufted rugs can be steam cleaned at home, making them ideal for children’s rooms or any area where your family sits on the rug. Barbara Barran has been working with the Gee’s Bend Quilters since 2003. She has shown and sold their work at over 25 US museums, paying the quilters a royalty for the use of their designs. She has visited Gee’s Bend, AL, several times and stayed at the home of Ruth Kennedy and Lucy Mingo. Working with the quilters has been the highlight of her design career. Custom Gee’s Bend Quilt designs and sizes are available. For more information, please write to [email protected] or call us at 718-768-3338. I color matched each rug to the original quilt when the quilts were shown at the Whitney Museum. and I have made several trips to Gee's Bend during my years working with the quilters. These rugs have been shown and sold at over 20 US museums. To make this rug, a pattern is drawn in a reverse image on monk's cloth, and then each stitch is added by hand. When the complete pattern has been filled in, natural latex and jute are applied to the back, and the edges are turned under and secured with cotton canvas, so the rug is constructed of all-natural materials. There are no added chemicals. The rug is then sheared and by hand, and the edges are trimmed with a big pair of scissors. This is a top-quality rug that will give you years of use. The New Zealand wool will not pill or break off, and it does not have an odor, as many cheap wool rugs do. This rug should be vacuumed with a non-beater brush vacuum. Do not use a bagless cyclonic. Clean any spots with foam Resolve cleaner for wet spots and powdered Resolve for dry spots. The rug can be steam cleaned at home periodically, as needed. Please note, these are area rugs and not quilts. Because we do not know what happens to our merchandise once it arrives in the purchaser's home, we do not accept returns. Orders will be shipped promptly, usually within 1-3 days.