More excitement!

Yep--that's me with the first review copies of my book! Can't help it--I had to hug them. After more than three years of living together, we finally meet. I think it's love . . .

It Was Only a Matter of Time . . .

First--It was only a matter of time until the quilt trail reached Pennsylvania! Colleen Konieczny of Bullskin Township has hung a large square on her barn and a smaller one on her house. She is pictured here with the barn quilt ready to be hung.

Second--It was only a matter of time until the barn quilts made it to YouTube!

The Pratts of Kankakee County, IL have posted a film about the trail in their area. Here is a link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V20-FFvyNVA

Following the Trail from Home

The above photo is from my most recent TN trip. The location is the Joppa Mountain Pottery studio in Grainger County. Really down to earth folks who live and make their living in an idyllic mountain setting.

I have been trying to get back to the mountains of North Carolina since April; every time I plan a trip, it rains. One of the farmers up there says that I am a better predictor than the weather service! But I have had some great phone visits with the folks in Ashe County.

This week I am "traveling" via phone and email.

The trail is expanding more quickly than I had ever imagined. The community of Tillamook, Oregon took up the idea in January; they will have fifteen squares up in time for the fair in August. In Hatton, Missouri , the project started this spring with plans to have a trail of ten in place by September. I have also enjoyed phone visits with folks in Colorado, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. And it's only Monday!

Next Monday I will be off to Iowa for a ten-day tour. There are over 300 quilt barns across that state.

Hmm . . . thirty a day?? My goal is not to see each one on a whirlwind tour but to work with extension agents in each county to find the most beautiful barns and the most interesting stories. I look forward to sharing those with you.

There's quilts in them there hills . . .

The weather wasn't too kind to us the last few weeks, but we finally has a few sunshiny days, so Gracie--the faithful pup--and I headed up to Hancock County, TN last weekend to visit the barn quilting community there.

Stayed in Kyle's Ford at River Place; I recommend it if you are ever up that way--very peaceful. Gracie didn't get to swim, though--as we were staying at the retreat there, and the linens were awfully nice. When we camp--she swims! The Blazing Star quilt in the photo is about a mile from the retreat; if you look just to the right, you can see the Clinch River.

Finding barn quilts in the mountains is always a bit tricky; maps are never quite to scale and often don't include all of the roads. So I turned to the trusty voice--my GPS. The first time I found myself driving down a single lane gravel road to nowhere, I thought, "OK--maybe I put in "shortest route" instead of "fastest." Don't ever use "shortest" in the country! But when the Honda got mired in mud along a creek where I had to back out since there was no room to turn around--I decided I couldn't depend on the gal in the machine this time.

Luckily I had another gal--Kim, who coordinated the trails in the area--who carefully filled in by hand on the map all of the missing roads where I would find quilt squares. As always, I found that barn quilters are some of the nicest folks around. I was treated to dinner--including deviled eggs--at a peaceful cabin on a high mountain ridge. I am told that Alex Haley was a friend of the former owner and visited from time to time. It was indeed an ideal setting for a writer; perhaps I will take them up on their offer and stay there next time I visit.

As is always the case when talking with farmers, I learned a bit about agriculture, including the different varieties of cane and tobacco. Tobacco varieties are actually of some importance to my project, as the type of curing required dictates the structure of the barn. No need to consult a book--just ask a farmer!