You’re driving through the countryside when a pop of color catches your eye. You turn and see a brightly colored square on the side of a barn. It looks like a quilt! How did that get there? What’s the story behind it?

You may also notice that they’re becoming more popular, popping up on not only barns, but sheds, houses and garages. The Pierce County Fairgrounds has many adorning its barns. Not only do they add beauty to the landscape, but their stories are interesting as well.

Beginnings

In 2001 in Adams County, Ohio, Donna Sue Groves wanted a unique way to honor her mother, Maxine, and her quilt art. She painted a quilt block on her tobacco barn, also honoring her Appalachian heritage. People loved it so much, that her friends and neighbors soon added their own quilt blocks and a trail of quilt art could be seen throughout the county.

Quilt square trails have blossomed across the country, creating walking or driving trails which help bring tourism to rural areas. The quilts don’t have to be on a barn; they can dress up any building.

Many quilt squares mimic a family’s historic quilt pattern that has been passed down through generations. Some are dreamed up out of the artist’s head. Others are chosen from patterns in books or online. Some tell a story, while others depict a family’s heritage.

There are nearly 50 quilt art trails in the United States; Wisconsin counties boast many quilt art trails, the nearest being in Dunn County, right next door. The Dunny County Barn Quilt Project is a cooperative effort by the UW-Extension Dunn County and the Menomonie Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau to create a quilt art trail to bring tourists to the area. Their trail map highlights a description of each quilt block and a brief history of the property at which it resides.

To learn more, visit https://dunn.extension.wisc.edu/agriculture/dun n-county-barn-quilts/dunn-county-barn-quilttrail/

Pierce County

The Journal reached out to readers, asking them to share their quilt square stories. Quilt squares are showcased on many Pierce County buildings, many with fascinating background stories.

Bridget Akey, of rural River Falls, created a sunflower pattern quilt block for their outbuilding. Before the pandemic, she and husband Jason attended many Packers games in Green Bay, which took them through Shawano County. That area is known for a large quilt art movement, with more than 300 participants.

“We always admired the many barn quilts visible from Highway 29 in Shawano County, and we decided to create a small on for our own property,” Akey said.

It took eight cans of paint and several rolls of blue tape. Their children pitched in and the neighbors helped bolt it to their garage. Though more difficult than they expected, the outcome was well worth it.

“The initial layout was by far the hardest part of the whole project,” Akey said.

Susan Thompson, of rural Elmwood, has a four-by-four barn quilt that her two daughters, Brandi Thompson and Brittany Peterson, painted for her at a workshop. What makes it truly special is the pattern is based upon a quilt her mother made: Jewel Box.

“My mother (Marlys Churchill) was an avid quilt maker and I thought it was a good way to honor her,” Thompson said.

The sisters went to Red Shed Workshops in Rock Falls, where much of the pre-work was done for them, such as measuring, priming and designing.

“We just had to very carefully tape the edges of the area we were going to color, do multiple coats, dry it with a hairdryer, and then peel the tape off carefully,” Brittany Thompson said.

The quilt art is on her horse shed, which can be seen about six miles west of Elmwood on Highway 72 in the town of Rock Elm.

Thompson’s mother died in December 2015. The family used her quilts to decorate the backs of the church pews during her funeral. It seemed a fitting way to honor Churchill.

“Mom was a farm wife for most of her life and spent days and evenings sewing, quilting, knitting, crocheting and cross-stitching,” Thompson said.

Recently, at a family gathering, all Churchill’s grandchildren chose quilts to bring home, to remind them of their crafty grandma.

“The pattern used on the barn quilt was a design she used to make square table cloth quilts,” Thompson said. “She made probably a dozen of them. My daughter, Brittany, and I finished them after her death and gave them away to family and friends.

Joanne Baier, of Elmwood, proudly displays her Bear Paw quilt, lovingly crafted by her niece, Ann Webb (Pierce County Fair manager).

“Our last name is pronounced bear, so what is more fitting than the Bear Paw quilt?” Baier said. “She (Webb) said it involves a lot of math … no wonder I couldn’t do it.”

The bear paws can be seen in the four corners, and the paint matches their house.

Webb said she has also painted two Farmer’s Daughters patterned quilts and a flower design for her she shed at home. When choosing designs, Webb said Pinterest is a good place to find ideas. Look at patterns done in different colors so you can see what color scheme you will like best, Webb suggested.

“My first one I did, I saw on a friend’s inlaws’ house and it looked like a pretty easy pattern to start with for my first attempt,” Webb said. “It was for a male, so it was made to match the color scheme of his shed.”

Her she shed quilt pattern honors her love of gardening. She chose to paint the flowers yellow because yellow is her daughter’s favorite color. She’s away at graduate school in Atlanta, so looking at it reminds Webb of her.

Webb has created four large squared and two small ones. Three reside at her house, one at Ginny Huber’s place, and another at Wanda Kinneman’s. It’s clear Webb enjoys the challenge.

“They are super fun to make,” Webb said. “My suggestion is to take the time and do it right the first time, so you don’t have to redo it after a couple of years.”

That involves using four coats of primer and four coats of paint on a marine grade board.

“Use frog tape instead of blue painters’ tape when taping off your section to paint,” Webb said. “Frog tape bleeds less than blue painters’ tape.”

The Pierce County Fairgrounds in Ellsworth sports 10 barn quilts. 4-H clubs donated two of them, while former summer grounds crew member Libby Feuker created the other eight, Webb said.

Next time you’re out driving, keep an eye out for these pops of American art. Maybe you’ll be inspired to create one of your own.