Wow--it has been a busy time. Every day or two, I think, "I ought to create a blog post." Then about bedtime I realize that once again, blogging fell by the wayside. Ah, well--here I am at last with lots of news to share.
Last month, while on our way to kayak on the Altamaha River in South Georgia, we passed a lone barn quilt. There is no quilt trail in the area; the family wasn't home, so I wasn't able to find out more. It may not be as grand as others I have posted, but seeing it out of the corner of my eye--so unexpectedly--was as magical as the first time!
Teresa Moris, of SW Wisconsin shared this photo of her first barn quilt, along with a bit of the symbolism that she painted into her creation.
The 4 dark orange points of the star = the 4 generations that have owned this farm. The 4 light yellow points of the star = their spouses. The interlocking frame represents working together through all the ins and outs. The four blue squares on the corners represent our current family of myself, my husband and our 2 children. Then, if you look at the blue triangle pieces at the bottom of the quilt, it looks like an "M" = our last name of Moris. However, if you look at the remaining blue triangle pieces, and turn that "M" upside down, it then looks like a "W" = representing the other 3 generations of "Wright, Wright, and Weber". So, now every time I look at this quilt, it reminds me of all those who have lived here, and how precious it is to own a family farm.
That is about as thoughtful a representation of a family through a single painting that I have heard of!
On a more personal note, I have been out and about speaking to quilt guilds across Georgia. Next month, we will head out on a week-long trip that will take us to Central Missouri, where a dinner on the grounds of this beautiful farm will be our first stop.
From there, it's on to Iowa, Wisconsin, and then Kentucky and North Georgia on the way home.
A group of dear friends hosted a book signing and celebration. Yes--another food pic, but isn't this an awesome cake?
Other big news, a second edition of the book is on its way! Not a new book, but a corrected version (Yes, I got a couple of names wrong here and there, including that of a breed of cows!) I am very excited that the first printing is just about sold out! Remember that you can get an autographed copy at
www.barnquiltinfo.com You can also get a non-autographed but no less enjoyable book from any online bookstore.
Finally, the quilt trail map continues to expand, with new trails on the way in Washington State and Oklahoma. Stay tuned for news as those become the 42nd and 43rd states on the Quilt Trail!
Stay in touch; please email me at americanquilttrail@yahoo with your photos and news so that I can share.
