by Bea Peterson
According to the internet Barn Quilt History, “The concept of barn quilts began with Donna Sue Groves and her wish to honor her mother, Maxine, and her Appalachian heritage by having a painted quilt hung on her barn in Adams County, Ohio. As is often the case, good ideas fall by the wayside when work and other obligations intervene. Donna Sue mentioned the project from time to time for several years until she was encouraged by her friends to go ahead and paint that quilt square. [private]Her work with the Ohio Arts Council and other community organizations inspired Donna Sue to alter her plan. Rather than creating a personal tribute, she suggested that a ‘sampler’ of twenty quilt squares could be created along a driving trail that would invite visitors to travel through the countryside. In 2001 a committee of volunteers worked together to both plan the trail and to formulate guidelines as to how the project would be managed. Several barn owners signed on, and the work began.”
That first quilt trail was hardly begun when a group of quilters from neighboring Brown County, Ohio, started their own project. From there it spread throughout Ohio, then Tennessee, Iowa and Kentucky To date the idea has spread to 48 states and into Canada. Over 7,000 quilts are part of organized trails.
And last Saturday the Town of Hoosick opened its trail with events and a map unveiling.
While most communities worked with large committees and encompassed an entire County, HAYC3 staff members Deb Alter and Aaron Buzzinski spearheaded this project and worked like demons to see it accomplished – and accomplished it in less than five months! They didn’t do it alone, of course. Many businesses contributed materials; many people sponsored quilts; many people put together the frames to hold the two 4’x8’ sheets of plywood and primed them and many others spent countless hours on their knees giving the individual pieces three coats of colorful paint. It was a fantastic community effort, and the results are outstanding. The quilts, now on barns and buildings throughout the community, are colorful and radiate a sense of community pride.
Introduction
On Saturday, August 29, more than 250 people visited the HAYC3 armory to talk with quilters about how they create their fabric masterpieces. Downstairs Noreen Hinton spoke about the Underground Railroad Quilts to a group of 50 folks. Hinton had a quilt on display containing sixteen patterns used during the age of slavery.
Since there is little documentation, Hinton told the crowd, one must wonder if the Underground Railroad and its quilts were a myth or a realty. Definitely food for thought.
Several fabric quilts were on display in the Art Gallery. Some of them were for sale and one, at least, was sold before the show was over.
Ride The Trail
The thirty-one HAYC3 Barn Quilts are painted with traditional quilt patterns. There are 21 eight foot by eight foot quilts and eight four by four foot quilts. There are two smaller quilts, including a special doghouse barn quilt.
Others who have jumped on the Barn Quilt Trail idea are the students at Hoosac School, who have created 4’x4’ quilts, and members of the Hoosac Villagers Craft Group, who have created 16 two by two foot square quilts. Look for two of them on the porch of the Wood Park apartments where the group meets.
The project is a tribute to a well loved community where people are happy to live, through good times and tough times.
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