A few days ago I was handed a box of scrap wood. literally. A small box full of left over pieces from a collaboration for the SCRAP WOOD MYSTERY BOX and was challenged to see if I could come up with a way to make use of them. Immediately a barn quilt came to mind, and I knew I would try to recreate the beauty and culture behind this American country staple. It came from a simple suggestion to think outside of the box…pun intended. I hope to encourage you to do the same before you toss something to the side…tutorial and images coming soon…stay tuned.
From the box of leftovers we were able to fashion an adorable version of a barn quilt, which I now offer on my online wood shoppe.
What is a barn quilt?
I’m glad you asked. When these questions were first brought to me I honestly didn’t know how to answer. My initial thought was well I dunno, they have always been around for as long as I could remember but I hadn’t given it a second thought.
Driving through the country in Kentucky you will see these large geometric star-like patterns painted and displayed on barns. They are very common and oh so charming. I realize now that this is one of those simple pleasures that I have often overlooked without really stopping to soak in the beauty and tradition behind it.
So, in true Kaycee fashion, I had to go digging around to find out for myself where exactly did barn quilts originate. I needed to know the whole story, and this is what I discovered.
The history of the American Barn Quilt can be traced back almost 300 years, to the arrival of immigrants from the central regions of Europe; Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands.
It is widely believed that barn painting/quilting originated in Pennsylvania with these immigrants and then spread too much of the New England and Midwestern states. Paint was very expensive in those days and painting a decorative yet distinctive quilt pattern on their barns was a wonderful way of allowing for decoration. It also became an excellent way for travelers to find particular families or cross roads, as towns people would just tell them which pattern to look for.
*read the full article by clicking the link below
www.americanbarnqquilts.com
I have learned that many rural communities come together to display their quilts as part of the American Barn Quilt Trail The first quilt trail was established in Adams County Ohio in 2001, as a collection of quilts displayed within walking or small driving distances from one another, meant to serve as a tourist attraction.
You too can get in on the fun and tradition, CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
