I do have roots in South Carolina, and now...

Oconee Heritage Quilt Trail

South Carolina

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Text below is from: http://www.oconeeheritagequilttrail.com/

The Blue Ridge Arts Council is taking the lead in bringing the National Quilt Trail to South Carolina. The Quilt Trail began in 2001 in Ohio when Donna Sue Groves installed a painted quilt design on her barn to honor her mother, a fifth generation Appalachian quilter. From that simple act, the project has spread to more than 2,000 colorfully painted quilt designs on barns and other structures in twenty-four states.

The popularity of the quilt square design trails has grown as communities see them as an artistic celebration of history and culture. Individual structure owners chose to honor their quilting ancestors and rural life. Ms. Groves wishes future quilt square design trails to honor females as she did her mother.

Here in Oconee County, a group of dedicated citizens is working to put South Carolina on the map by establishing the Oconee Heritage Quilt Trail. The first quilt in South Carolina, which has been sponsored by the Wynward Pointe Ladies Group, will be mounted on the Oconee Heritage Center in Walhalla, SC, in the Rocky Mountain Road pattern made in 1930 by Lena Mae Land Talley, of Mountain Rest. It will be recreated on an 8' x 8' weather resistant wooden panel mounted on the outside wall of the Oconee Heritage Center. Others are sponsoring quilts to be painted on other buildings in the county.

Quilt trails bring an economic benefit to communities by attracting tourists to the countryside and include historical sites along the route. Businesses that are part of the trail have experienced increased traffic and interest.

Ar, Randolph County

I have added Randolph County, Arkansas to the sidebar...

McDowell County, NC

Another North Carolina county (McDowell), has created (work in process), a Quilt Trail. Anyone interested in creating their own Quilt Trail might enjoy checking out their blog at: http://mcdowellquilttrail.org/ . They have a good start. I certainly hope that they have a warm place to paint this winter. I have added a link to their web-site on the Barn Quilt Memories side bar...

Also read: The McDowell News Published: August 31, 2009

Patty Rose Designs

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I love this

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Patty Rose Designs

Mosaic

From these beginnings...

This is a little different from the other Barn Quilts that I have seen. Made from broken pottery shards, the 3' x 3' design was layed out on a plywood and concrete board foundation, and then grouted. It now hangs over Patty's cutting garden. Visit Patty at:

http://www.pattyrosedesign.typepad.com/

Calhoun County, Illinois

Here is a picture that I had to share... A Log Cabin Quilt Block in Hardin, Illinois. The house and barn date back to the 1870s. There are apparently several Quilt Blocks on Barns in Calhoun County, but I have not been able to find a web presence except the following:



From the Catholic Times, the on-line newspaper of the Diocese of Springfield, reports:

The Third Annual Calhoun County Quilt and Church Tour will be Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23 and 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the communities of Kampsville, Hardin and Brussels. Calhoun Partners Economic Development sponsors the tour, with proceeds going to Calhoun’s Barn Quilt Project.

Tour tickets are $8 if purchased by Oct. 19, $12 thereafter. Advance tickets may be purchased at the Bank of Kampsville in Brussels and Kampsville, at the Calhoun / Jersey Extension Office in Hardin, or at any of the church halls on the days of the tour. Included with a ticket purchase is a self-guided map to the 25-plus barn quilts located on historic barns and local businesses in Calhoun County.

Quilts will be on display at St. Anselm’s Hall in Kampsville, the First Presbyterian Church and Hall in Hardin and St. Matthew Lutheran Church and Hall in Brussels. The tour includes quilting demonstrations, quilting supplies and fabrics sale and a Calhoun photo gallery and note cards sale. A quilt appraiser will be there to do appraisals of quilts people bring in. Some quilts will be for sale at St. Anselm’s Hall in Kampsville, where the Calhoun Historical Society and the McCully Heritage project will have information booths.

Meservey, Iowa

According to Wikipedia: Meservey is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. It is part of the Mason City Micropolitan Statistical Area. Meservey was founded in 1886, shortly after a railroad line was built connecting Mason City and Fort Dodge. It takes its name from the Meservey Brothers who were railroad employees at this time. The western portion of town was originally known as Kausville, and eventually merged into Meservey, and is still legally known as the "Kausville Addition". As of the census of 2000, there were 252 people living in Meservey.

According to the Belmond News: A barn quilt class will be held at the Reformed Church here (in Meservey), on October 20 and 26. Missy Huling of Garner will be the instructor. The 4x4 board, paint and instructions will be provided at a cost of $55. To register call Mary Schlichting at 358-6259.

Quilt Trail Sampler Quilt

From the Web Site of the Appalachian RC&D Council's Quilt Trail™ in Northeast Tennessee! Win a one of a kind Quilt Trail Sampler Quilt with replicas of each of the quilt squares on the Quilt Trail! This opportunity is offered in cooperation with the First Frontier Quilters. The drawing will take place on October 30th, 2009, on WJHL News Channel 11 Morning Edition with Josh Smith.

Go to: http://quilttrail.org/

Quilt Trail Raffle Tickets

6 Tickets for for $10.00
9 Tickets for for $15.00
12 Tickets for for $20.00
15 Tickets for for $25.00



Quilt Trail Poster

$8.00 tax included plus $5.00 shipping and handling for the first product, $1.00 for each item thereafter. 16” x 24” on 100# stock with a matte finish suitable for framing. Comes with a Key that names every pattern and tells farm name, address and GPS coordinates.
Shipping: $5



Quilt Trail Mouse Pad

$8.00 tax included plus $5.00 shipping and handling (for the first item, save and buy more - additional items ship at $1.00 each.

WOW... I have a lot to catch up on, and it will not happen in one day. My plate (life), seems to have very full lately, and it continues to offer me lots of challenges and opportunities. I am thankful for every moment that I have, often wishing that there was more of me to go around, yet being constantly reminded to live in the day. We should each appreciate what we have, and be thankful. We need to make the most of our opportunities, and share what we have with those less fortunate than ourselves. That's enough preaching about life & circumstances for now.

I dove into a personal Barn Quilt Project a little more than a month ago. I was not able to spend all of my time devoted to it, but I have done the following: painted eight 4' x 4' Quilt Blocks (shown below), immersed myself into, and completed a certification class on entrepreneurship, constructed the outline of my business plan, and put myself into a local outdoor art show. These are just steps in the journey, and I will certainly have more to share.

There are plenty of new Barn Quilt, Quilt Barn and Quilt Trail notices that I have received over the past month (and I will be sharing), but there is one in particular that I would like to make notice of. That is the inauguration of the American Quilt Barns web-site at http://www.americanquiltbarns.com/ . This is designed to be an interactive social networking site, hopefully tying together the multitude of quilt trails and fans across the country. Anyone can join, and there is no charge. Started by Donna Sue Groves and a group of friends, this site will bring a new focus and direction to what I like to call a real grass roots art movement. This is one that will continue to blossom.

... and thanks to all who support the site:

barnquilting.ning.com

Where have I been ?

( Barn Quilts are Art )

In the past month, I have had to face the hard reality of not being employed anymore. (Not having anything to do, sure does take up a lot of time.) The good folk down at the Employment Security Commission like to refer my condition as being a displaced worker. Displaced is right! I call myself a statistic. I can see the bottom of the financial well, and I am very close to having my well run dry. I will be getting a pittance of Unemployment Insurance soon, but it has not come through yet. I am really thankful for any and all help that I can get. Our government does have some outstanding programs for the displaced worker, and those that may be under-employed. Over the next few months I hope be taking a few certificate classes at the Community College, and even more immediately, there is a program that I have signed up for that is funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation (it's vision is to foster “a society of economically independent individuals who are engaged citizens, contributing to the improvement of their communities.”). The program is called FastTrack NewVenture. In a few short weeks, they can walk me through the process of starting a new business... so, let's guess what this country boy is about to do.

I am getting ready to start a new business! To be named (of course), Barn Quilt Memories. I have not gotten to class yet, and have not sold any product, but I will. This afternoon I went down to the local Art Museum and signed up to be a vendor at the First Folk Art Festival at the Lake. This is billed as: Outsider art, Outside the expected, Outside the city limits! Taking place on October 3rd (one day only), does not leave me with much time to come up with some Barn Quilts. All I can say right now is... stay tuned!

these pictures speak for themselves...

The Barn Quilt Homeschool Artists

on You Tube

( from Kankakee County, Illinois )

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[ click the pic. ]