ANNETTE ANDERSON BAILEY

MEMBER, AFRICAN AMERICAN QUILT CIRCLE OF DURHAM

For Annette Bailey, quilting is an expression of her love of and fascination with fabric, texture, and color.

She especially enjoys the freedom that quilting allows for the use of color in a totally irreverent manner. Annette enjoys using traditional quilting patterns while interpreting them in bold and totally unexpected ways through her choice of fabrics and color. When Annette first became interested in quilting she read about one world renowned quilter who placed African fabrics in the ugly fabric category. Annette thought that African fabrics, i.e., Dutch Wax prints, were beautiful and she was very curious about how to use them. Her research led her to understand that African fabrics could be used like any other fabrics so she tried it and it worked for her.

The more often she used African fabrics, the more comfortable she became using them, noting the excitement and beauty they added to her projects. She eventually decided that she would look for patterns where she might substitute African fabrics for the commercial cottons usually displayed in the designs. Annette has enjoyed success with this and shares that she is very happy and excited when working on various projects where she is able to use her collection of Dutch Wax prints.

Annette has taught garment making, window treatment construction, quilting, and interior design classes at various venues to include Durham Technical Community College, Durham Public Schools Community Education Program, AAQC events, as well as at several quilt retreats and at a local quilt shop. She has taken classes with a number of well known quilt artists to include Rachel Clark, Donna Chambers, Juanita Yeager, Scott Murkin, and Jane Hall, just to name a few. Several members of AAQC have joined the organization after taking one of Annette’s classes at Durham Technical Community College.

Annette is most proud of her contributions to the quilts made to commemorate the 100^th Anniversary of North Carolina Central University and the 150^th Anniversary of White Rock Baptist Church. She served as a consultant as well as one of the contributing artists for both of these projects.

Most recently Annette served as curator for AAQC’s exhibits Take Note held in 2015 and Sew Much Life…Threads Connecting Lives held in 2017.

Annette is available for quilt consultation, teaching, and commissions.