Dogwood Star Pattern, Mitchell County Historical Society Museum in Bakersville, North Carolina.
I'm lucky that I like being alone, and I haven't been suffering too much with all the social distancing. But it's show season now, and I'm longing to be on the road. I miss the folks I usually get to see this time of year and exploring new restaurants in new towns. I need a road trip, so I grabbed my husband and headed west to NC's Barn Quilt Trail.
The Barn Quilt tradition started with love. In 2001, Donna Sue Groves wanted to honor her mother and her sewing artistry by painting a quilt block on her barn. A quilt block or square is the foundation of a quilt. A pattern that's repeated several times and sewn together to create the quilt. Donna's block was a hit, and everyone wanted one. I mean everyone, businesses, barn owners, innkeepers, even libraries wanted a block. In a moment of love, Donna Sue had a new vocation that led to a new tradition.
Corn and Beans Quilt Block, Fox Country Store, Burnsville, NC.
Thinking we'd be experiencing a pleasant drive, effortlessly spotting the large and brightly colored blocks from the highway, I was wrong. The trail is more like a treasure hunt. Picking the blocks out from business signs, hiding in the shade of an overhang, and they're not all the same size. Many are custom made to fit a space on the building. I was happy to have a driver who enjoys Nascar. Locating the blocks took a few turns, getting pictures taken took U-turns and consideration of the folks behind us.
There's history in quilt blocks. During slavery, women sewed them as maps to guide people to freedom. The quilts, decorated with symbols, led the way through the Underground Railroad to the north. Patterns like Drunkard's Path warned of slave catchers and dogs in the area, meaning to backtrack. A motif of Flying Geese headed north meant to follow the birds. The shoofly design told you there were helpers in the area.
These 8” tiles are available at One of a Kind (OOAK) Gallery in Micaville, North Carolina, for 100. each. Other’s are on the new quilt block page of the website.
