a choice for some...

I have heard of several Barn Quilt committees getting a special deal from a local hardware or paint supplier, and often soliciting help mounting large panels from the power company's (or other’s) cherry picker. This is good for the committee, and I do believe that this is a good public relations for everyone involved. Now I see a national sign board company taking notice of the Barn Quilt Arts Movement.

This is not an attempt by me to promote any product, but for those that feel the more traditional plywood panel is too cumbersome or heavy, Dibond® graphic display board by 3A Composites USA could be an alternative. The Barn Quilt story is published on-line at signshop.com and also wide-formatimaging.com. It should be sufficient for me to say that I enjoy the more traditional approach, and with as much community involvement as you can muster. If it is your barn, and you have scaffolding, and are not fearful of heights, and have a way of keeping lines straight, then painting on the actual barn siding can be very effective... but definitely not for amateurs.

gathering

The Quilt Trail Gathering
May 13-14, 2011

" The Quilt Trail Gathering, May 13-14, 2011" is the only info available on the new (still under construction) website: www.quilttrailgathering.com

... as reported on October 5th, in the Georgetown, Ohio, newsdemocrat.com:

In addition to all the promotions planned for the remainder of 2010 and through 2011, Brown County Tourism is working with an Adams County family to stage an event that could potentially draw thousands to the area next spring. On May 13-14, 2011, The Brown County Department of Travel and Tourism will co-host "The Quilt Trail Gathering," organized to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the beginning of the Quilt Barn Trail.

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The event will be co-hosted by Donna Sue Groves, an Adams County resident who started the quilt barn project in 2001 as a way to honor the memory of her mother. Brown County was the second to join the trail, and when it began no one could have anticipated how much interest in Quilt Barns would have grown. Over the decade Quilt Barns have generated interest across the nation, with quilt patterns now on hundreds of barns in dozens of states.

Ky, Boone County

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A grand thanks to Joyce Foley, Chair of the Boone County (Kentucky) Barn Quilt Trail. They boast almost 50 "boards" so far, and are now listed on the sidebar of Barn Quilt Memories as http://boonebarnquilts.com/

... from the past few weeks

I have been busy with a new job for the past few weeks, and I have not been able to read many of the e-mail notices from the world of Barn Quilts. I will attempt to catch up this afternoon.

There are over a dozen Barn Quilts in Lake County, California. Go to: www.kelseyvillepearfestival.com, and click on the “Quilt Trail.” The Lake County News is doing a great job of documenting these additions.

A guided bus tour of all 54 of the barns on the Clinton County (Ohio) Barn Quilt Trail is planned for Oct. 13 from 8 a.m. until approximately 4 p.m. Lunch will be provided along with information about project history, farm stories and more. For more information and to register contact Carol at The Cotton Junky Quilt Shop 366-3602.

2010 Plymouth County (Iowa) Fair Queen Kristen Ahlers gets help from fair board members including Brent McNaughton as well as other royalty members (hidden) in displaying the "Barn Quilts of Plymouth County" quilt at the fair auction Sunday in Pioneer Village. The 42 squares represent barn quilts and welcome quilts in Plymouth County. The quilt sold for $10,000. The LeMars Daily Sentinel has a photograph of this amazing Quilt, or see this at: The Sioux City Journal at: ( Photo 1 ) or ( Photo 2 )

I suggest keeping up with Suzi Parron at: http://americanquilttrail.blogspot.com/ Her book will be a big hit, and she keeps adding to her blog. Stay tuned.

Columbia County (Wisconsin) is starting a Barn Quilt Trail. Go to: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/columbia/ for more information, or contact Margo Holzman at: mitesag@yahoo.com.

After months of their hard work, I have added the Wardsville Ontario Barn Quilts blog, to the sidebar of Barn Quilt Websites. They have been very busy with this Bicentennial Celebration and it is worth more than a look-see.

Welcome

Osceola County in Michigan has been added to the sidebar of Barn Quilt Trails

These could be yours !

To view these Barn Quilts, go to:

http://visitcaledonia.com/Auction%20Quilt%20flyer%20rev1.pdf

These are the real McCoy. 8' x 8', and they will be auctioned on August 21

bicentennial celebration

The Wilmington News Journal of Wilmington, Ohio is one of the most consistent news sources publishing stories about Barn Quilts anywhere. Their focus is on Clinton County. They regularly print pictures and stories as new Barn Quilts are hung in the area. There seems to be a special sense of local pride and community that really gets to the roots of this Arts Movement. Below, I am posting a few excerpts from today's story. You can read the rest at: wnewsj.com. Thanks for the honoring all those involved, and all of their hard work.

Take self-guided quilt barn tour Saturday, Sunday
JOHN CROPPER
Staff Writer

The 200-year history of Clinton County will be on display this Saturday and Sunday, June 12 and 13, during a bicentennial barn quilt tour which will take participants through five eras of local history.

Five of the 54 paintings, which have emblazoned the sides of barns around the county this year, will be featured during the self-guided tour. There will be two stops in Wilmington and one each in Martinsville, Clarksville and Sabina. Each quilt site will feature events or activities that correspond with a given era.

“It’s really an event for the whole family,” said Diane Murphy, coordinator of the tour and co-creator of the barn quilt series. “There will be something for everyone."

"I’ve been amazed by the enthusiasm for the barn quilts. Not just locally, but beyond Clinton County as well,” Murphy said.

“Not only are they visiting the barns, but they’re coming back and saying how much they enjoyed it,” she said.

Leading up to the barn tour, “Lady Barn Consultant” Pam Gray will present “The Americanization of the Family Barn” on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Clinton County Historical Society. Admission is free (to see Pam Gray), and open to the public.

For more information about the barn quilt-tour, call Diane Murphy at 382-0136 or Carol Earhart at 366-6302.

Accuquilt

Go to: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=170180&id=84892741164 to vote for your favorite (of 10), Quilt Blocks submitted to the Accuquilt contest. The winner gets $1,000 worth of stuff plus a trip to Fremont, Nebraska and their design will become a 20' x 20' Quilt Block... How cool is that!

Lake County, CA

Just south of Clear lake, California is the community of Kelseyville. Proud home to the Kelseyville Pear Festival, and the recently organized Lake County Quilt Trail - the very first in the state of California!

Buena Vista County, IA

Buena Vista... What a great name!

With images of a few dozen Barn Quilts in and around Storm Lake, Albert City and Buena Vista County, Iowa... I have added the Barn Quilts of Buena Vista County website to the side bar here. Thanks to the Buena Vista County Historical Society.