Kramer's Quilt

It's kind of a gloomy day today, so this photo kind of fits the mood. Of course, so many of my photos have dark clouds in the background--the luck of the barn quilter!

I paid a visit to Jefferson County, TN, at the edge of the Smokies, early last spring.

Jack and Beverly Kramer braved the winds to display "Kramer's Quilt," which was the basis for their barn quilt.

The quilt dates to the 19th century. It came through Jack's family and was found in their home near Rochester, New York. They didn't know the name that the quilter had given it, so they just used their last name, since it was a family quilt.

One quilter said that it was simply Courthouse Steps with a Flying Geese border. I agree with her with regards to the border, but I am not sure about the rest. Quilters--what would you call it?.Barn quilt calendar 2011barn quilts quilt trail

Grandmother's DollsBarn quilt calendar 2011barn quilts quilt trail

Once again today I am reliving my time in Kentucky. I love the touch of fall colors in this photo.


My day in Rowan County was terrific, with the beautiful and diverse Foothills Quilt Trail and friendly ladies to show me--and Gracie, the traveling dog--around.

Brenda Stamm lives right across the street from her family's tobacco farm where this quilt hangs.

She had not only her grandmother's doll quilt but also the patterns that had been cut out of a paper bag and used to make it.

Though many of us know that pattern as Dutch Girl, this one is Dutch Doll, after the doll collector who passed it down to this proud Kentucky farmer's daughter.
Barn quilt calendar 2011barn quilts quilt trail

Kentucky QuestBarn quilt calendar 2011barn quilts quilt trail

I posted below some of my favorite painted quilts and realized that I had forgotten this gem.

Menifee County, Kentucky is a tiny spot tucked into the middle of the state's northeastern hills.

Most of the county is covered by beautiful forests--notably the Daniel Boone National Forest, where this barn quilt resides. I was on the way to another barn--which I never found--but the trip was not in vain.

If you head out to the quilt trail, remember that maps are seldom to scale. You may not find what you are looking for, but sometimes that is OK.

Some of the best discoveries accidental. But you have to slow down just a bit!Barn quilt calendar 2011barn quilts quilt trail

American Quilter's Society Recognizes Barn Quilts!!

The American Quilter's Society chose this page as Blog of the Week and posted to their Facebook page. I am so thrilled! Love to have more and more cloth quilters becoming aware of barn quilts.

Of course, I tend to think that everyone knows about barn quilts. After all, everyone that I know is more than aware of them!

I got to thinking of some barn quilts I have seen that, without the barn in the photo, could pass for cloth quilts. Each of these is a painted quilt!

I can't help wondering whether these were more difficult to paint than they would have been to piece.

So-- What do you think? How many of these quilts pass muster?




.Barn quilt calendar 2011barn quilts quilt trail

Hankerin' for the Hills

I was a bit nostalgic today, as
I spent some time talking to my students about my
journey over the past couple of years.

I also gave them a page of my writing to edit, which was very nerve-wracking. Something I have never done before, but I wanted to be "out there" in the same way that they are. And no, not all of them liked it.

So--why this particular block today? I recall the first time I was alone in a car with a quilt trail map in hand, ready to head out for discovery.

It was fall of 2008, Burnsville, NC. Turkey Tracks was near the western edge of the map, so I began there, thinking I would work my way east. What a moment--when I pulled off to the roadside to photograph a barn quilt for the first time.

About a thousand barns later, I still get that little twinge of excitement when I see a bit of color appearing on the horizon or around a curve. And I still haven't worked my way across that North Carolina map!.Barn quilt calendar 2011barn quilts quilt trail

Farmer's Daughter

No, I am not a farmer's daughter, though I have to say that my grandmother--who inspired me to take up quilting--was one heck of a farmer.

She could make a quilt out of most anything--remember those polyester leisure suits--oh, yeah! I chuckled at the time; what I wouldn't give for one of those now! In her later years, "Ms. Nellie," as she was known, grew hundreds of daylilies in coffee cans behind her humble home and was known to landscapers around central Florida--a sharp businesswoman who might slip a jar of pickles to a truck driver if he seemed nice. Nellie always had a greenhouse, so when I saw this photo of Lora Partyka's greenhouse in Orleans County, New York, I loved it right away. Lora is a Farmer's Daughter, and no other block would be appropriate for the quilt trail that she started. I love her bold colors that draw attention to the greenhouse, and the pumpkins for sale in the background are perfect for the season!

Black Friday Giveaway!

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I hate the mall like a child hates Brussels sprouts. I am one of those folks who either picks up the perfect gift for a friend in June (and maybe remembers where I stashed it) or shops online after Thanksgiving. No standing in line--I don't care if it's free!

Speaking of free, this book is free--or will be to one of you. The book is put together by Kansas City Quilts; they did an amazing job gathering info on barn quilts (I'm in it!) and creating a sampler that includes patterns from nine different barns. They happened to choose one or two of my faves--what good taste!

I have a couple of these--and I actually know where they are--so I am going to include one at no charge along with one calendar order between now and Thanksgiving!

Now you can get a couple of gifts without leaving the house--how cool is that? Or treat yourself.

All orders through 10 PM eastern time Thanksgiving will be entered. That way, I can let you know before the BIG SHOPPING day if you have won--so that you will have one less line to stand in!

If you have already ordered, just post a comment here, and I will include you in the drawing.

I am so ready to get the holidays started!!

Suzi

Ohio Star-ry Night

I love this pattern--Starry Night.

It is one of a small quilt trail in Nebraska created by a group of high school students as part of a service learning project.

This is a great addition to the quilt trail, since the Stars in Starry Night are Ohio Stars. And of course, Ohio is the home of very first quilt trail, in Adams County.

On another note, the barn quilt project in Wardsville, Ontario, Canada is going to be part of the Canadian Quilter's Association Quilt Canada 2011 in London, Ontario. I plan to be there in May when the tour from London heads over to Wardsville to see this great project!

.Barn quilt calendar 2011barn quilts quilt trail

Colorado Classic

This quilt square sure looked great high on this barn against a beautiful Colorado sky. The blue in the quilt is a pretty close match!

Of course, I also liked this one a lot because it is one of the few quilt squares I have seen lately that contain orange and blue.

I am an Atlanta gal but will always be a Florida Gator, you know..Barn quilt calendar 2011barn quilts quilt trail

Another one Bites the Dust

Oh, how I love this photo. I saw a portrait-sized enlargement of it in the home of Mrs. Juanita Porter, in Kentucky.

Her husband's family has been prominent in the area for generations; when the one-room school across from their house was replaced, they had the little building moved to the property near their barn--hence the Schoolhouse quilt block.

When I saw this photo, I immediately contacted the photographer, who was gracious enough to grant the rights to it. OH, how I hated to lose this one. But there wasn't much more to the story than what I have written here, so despite the beauty of the photo, it didn't make the cut. I did manage to go from 156 photos down to 86, which was mighty painful!

This was the first time I saw tobacco hanging in a barn with a quilt block on it. It's hard to think of tobacco as beautiful, but at least as part of a barn quilt photo it is!

.Barn quilt calendar 2011barn quilts quilt trail