Former Fulton County attorney says quilting saved her life, then she built an Atlanta tradition

They cover the walls and fill her sunlit attic in South Fulton. With hundreds of quilts throughout the home, O.V. Brantley calls it her "quilt house."

"I love quilts. Quilts are my passion. Almost everything I do now revolves around quilts," Brantley said.

Before becoming widely known in Atlanta's quilting community, Brantley built a career in law. She was appointed Fulton County attorney in 1999, overseeing legal matters for one of Georgia's largest counties. She said the work was demanding and often adversarial.

"Everything you read in the local newspaper, probably 80% of it involves Atlanta, Fulton County. And usually it's because something went off track," Brantley said. "I don't want to exaggerate. I'll just say it was a hell of a job because you can interpret that however you want to."

Brantley said everything changed when she picked up a needle and thread.

"When I touched fabric and cut fabric or sewed fabric, I didn't think about Fulton County," Brantley said. "It's like all those issues went away for the period of time that I was piecing a quilt. I feel like it saved my life."

Brantley began quilting near the end of 1999 after a close friend suggested they learn how. At first, however, Brantley kept her new hobby private.

"I kept my quilting secret for a while," Brantley said. "I worried that if people knew that I was a quilter, they would think I was not a smart lawyer. And it was always very important to me to make sure that everybody knew that I was a smart lawyer."

Now, Brantley's life-changing hobby is at the heart of the Atlanta Quilt Festival, an event she founded to celebrate African American history, civil rights and social justice. Held at the Southwest Arts Center, the festival features more than 150 quilts created by artists from across the country.

The quilts are on display Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"And quite honestly, I can't say that I had a master plan," Brantley said. "It just kept growing and growing."

This year's festival features a special exhibition titled "Music Moves Movements." The quilts illustrate how music has shaped the United States throughout different periods in history.

"I can tell you that ours is different and special because of the stories that our quilts tell," Brantley said.

Previous exhibitions have honored the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis and explored banned books. The festival eventually produced three Lewis-themed exhibitions examining his life, the progress made possible by the civil rights movement and the responsibility of future generations to continue that work.

What began as a handful of friends sharing their work has grown into a community where artists can preserve history, tell their stories and connect with one another. Brantley said that is why she continues making quilts.

"The only reason to make a quilt is because you love someone and it brings you joy," Brantley said. "But it's the journey. It truly is the love that goes into every stitch."