Have Barn Quilts Made a Comeback?

Barn quilts were all the rage about 20 years ago.  Artists and enthusiasts across the country were painting large quilt blocks and hanging them on their barn walls.  Community members joined forces to organize quilt trails.  Local visitor centers created barn quilt maps and encouraged people to come visit.  Curious visitors travelled scenic back roads in search of barn quilts and found local culture along the way.  Discoveries were shared.  Guide books were written.  More barn quilts were created and the cycle continued.  The Barn Quilt Movement was in full swing.
All of this came to mind, when I spotted these pretty, scaled-down barn quilts on a recent visit to the Red Oak Lavender Farm (see my Stop and Smell the Lavender blog post).

It made me wonder… what ever became of barn quilts?  Are they still a thing?  My quest for answers led me to the beautiful state of Kentucky.  In addition to stunning horse farms, …

…endless miles of plank board fences, …

…spectacular, award-winning thoroughbred mares, …

…and their adorable foals, …

…I found an amazing variety of gorgeous barn quilts sprinkled around the state.

This pretty blue barn quilt, in a Carpenter’s Square pattern, was spotted in Ravenna Kentucky.  It is part of the Madison County Kentucky Quilt Trail.  Wikipedia describes a quilt trail as “a series of painted wood or metal hung or freestanding quilt squares installed along a route emphasizing significant architecture and/or aesthetic landscapes”.

The first barn quilt trail was started by Donna Sue Groves.  She came up with the idea while working for the Ohio Arts Council in the 1990s.  Donna Sue shared her story in Following the Barn Quilt Trail:  “I learned the value of using the arts to build a sense of community, particularly through creating large public murals. … I also realized that the majority of communities held annual quilt shows and everyone seemed to have a quilt story. …Most rural communities did not have large, blank, store walls or a floodwall for murals, but they did have barns. …  Why not make use of those barn walls specifically for a community project decorating them with quilt squares?”  Adams County Ohio, where Donna Sue lived, launched their trail and dedicated their first quilt square in October 2001.  The idea caught on and soon interested parties were reaching out for more information.  The Ohio team generously shared their how-to information and encouraged the recipients to pass along what they learned.  Since then, barn quilt trails were established in nearly every American state as well as many Canadian provinces.
This barn quilt was spotted near Richmond, Kentucky.

The pattern is called The Star Within.  It is typical of traditional, patchwork quilt patterns with regularly, repeating shapes and a planned, repetitious color scheme in a symmetrical design.

Many of the barns, called tobacco barns because they were once used to air-cure tobacco, are no longer in use.
Ironically, some of the barn quilts appear as if they will outlive the barns on which they are displayed.

This pattern is a Nine Patch Star.

The residents of Estill County in Kentucky also embraced the Barn Quilt Movement during its heyday.  As explained on their website, “The Estill County Quilt Trail is a project of the Estill Arts Council that became a true community wide effort.  Citizens from all walks of life, both women and men and, young and old, came together to help in the selection of quilt patterns and barn sites.  Mondays became known as the “quilting bee” night as volunteers showed up to draw and paint, for close to two years, in order to complete and install over 50 quilt squares.  Through this project many new friendships were made and a sense of pride in the rich cultural heritage of the community’s historic, agricultural, and folk art roots was realized.”  I recently had the opportunity to travel sections of the Estill County Quilt Trail and admire several of the barn quilts created by this talented group.
As I entered the town of Irvine, it quickly became obvious barn quilts are no longer just for barns.  For instance, visitors to this quiet, pleasant town are greeted by this colorful barn quilt on the local optometrist’s office.

Many quilt patterns have a fascinating backstory.  For instance, the Log Cabin pattern, shown below, “is one of the most well-known and popular of all patchwork patterns … it symbolized home, warmth, love and security.”   As explained on the Homestead Quilt Discovery Experience website, “The center square of the block was done in red to represent the hearth, the focal point of life in a cabin or home.  The name, Log Cabin, comes from the narrow strips of fabric, or logs arranged around the center square. Each fabric strip or log was added to the pattern in much the same way logs were stacked to build a cabin … Many Log Cabin patterns were worked in two color schemes, lights and darks, divided diagonally in the middle.  This represented the sun’s east to west movement in the sky.  As the sun rose, its light shown on the cabin, creating the light side of the block.  As the sun traveled west, part of the cabin was left in the shadow, creating the dark side of the block.”
This Log Cabin quilt square is prominently displayed at the Estill County Historical and Genealogical Museum and Research Center.

The local florist shop also got into the quilt square action with this aptly chosen pattern, known as Flower Basket, painted on the shop’s wall.

The charismatic town of Berea Kentucky also features several outstanding barn quilts.  Berea, considered the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky, hosts the Festival of LearnShops every summer.  The LearnShops are short workshops on a wide variety of subjects such as sustainable living, Appalachian crafts, fiber arts, jewelry making and, you guessed it, painting barn quilts!  Berea boasts a number of artisan studios, art galleries, and unique boutiques.  Many of these businesses are located in the Artisan Village area of town.  The Honeysuckle Vine Gallery & Studio proudly displays a Grandmother’s Fan barn quilt.


Traditionally, barn quilts were large–typically 8-feet square—but, today, talented artists and enthusiasts are creating barn quilt squares in a variety of sizes and configurations.  Groupings of three quilt squares, like those shown below, are sprinkled throughout Berea.  These were spotted in front of the Berea College Farm.


A little online research reveals interest in barn quilts remains strong.  The original Barn Quilt Movement may have slowed but scores of people, as evidenced by the 38,000+ members of the Barn Quilt Addicts Facebook Group, are still painting quilt squares to decorate their homes, garages, sheds and surroundings.  The quilt squares may be smaller—typically 4 feet square or less—but the beautiful patterns and joyful colors are the same.  Barn quilts, it seems, don’t need a comeback—they never went away!

More Info

Check out my previous post, Stop and Smell the Lavender, for a visit to the Red Oak Lavender Farm & Shop in Dahlonga, Georgia, USA.
The Kentucky Tourism website provides information about visiting Kentucky’s famed horse farms.  “Centered around Lexington but found all around the state, these farms are responsible for breeding, raising and training the magnificent horses that dominate the racetrack. Many farms offer set hours for visitors, and several companies lead guided tours.”
Check out the the Madison County Kentucky Quilt Trail or the Estill County Kentucky Quilt Trail website for more information.
Special thanks to Mary Reed for pointing me in the right direction!
To learn more about Berea, the Folk Arts & Crafts Capital of Kentucky, check out the Visit Berea website.  Information about the annual Festival of LearnShops can be found there.  Stay tuned here, to the FanningSparks blog, for an accounting of my experiences attending the Berea LearnShops!
After a wonderful visit to the beautiful state of Kentucky, I was deeply saddened to hear about the Central Appalachia floods which recently devastated eastern Kentucky.  My thoughts are with all the talented and charming Kentuckians I met during this trip.
Suzi Parron is the author of two books: Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement, written in cooperation with Donna Sue Groves in 2012, and Following the Barn Quilt Trail in 2016.
You can learn more about the Quilt Discovery Experience at the Homestead National Historical Park in Beatrice, Nebraska on their website.
Check out the Barn Quilt Addicts public group on Facebook for “pictures of Barn Quilts of all sizes from anywhere and everywhere, barns, quilts. …  creations, … ideas, tips.”

Today’s Takeaways

1. A barn quilt is a painted replica of a quilt square.  Traditionally, barn quilts were 8 feet square and mounted on barn walls.  Today, barn quilts are painted in a variety of sizes and displayed in a myriad of places.
2. A barn quilt trail is a series of barn quilts installed along a route designed to encourage visitors.
3. Consider seeking out a barn quilt trail near you.