GREENWICH, N.Y. — You have probably seen them before. Brightly colored quilt squares with geometric designs of all kinds affixed to the sides of barns. However, this is not your grandma’s quilt. The barn quilt movement is a recent trend celebrating rural life and art.
Today’s barn quilts takes the idea of a quilt square and puts it on display on a barn for passersby to see. The barn quilt movement began in 2001 and was started by a woman named Donna Sue Groves. Groves developed an appreciation for barns as a child when she would try to spot them while on road trips to visit her grandmother in West Virginia. Later in life Groves came up with the idea of creating a barn quilt for her Manchester, Ohio farm as a way to honor her mother who was an avid quilter.
After creating her own square several neighbors liked the idea which led her to form a collaboration with the Ohio Arts Council to proliferate the art form. Soon 20 other farms in her area sported barn quilts and the first barn quilt trail was established. A barn quilt trail refers to a group of farms featuring barn quilts that are within driving distance from each other. A movement was born and barn quilts began to spread to farms in other states.
The barn quilt pays homage to the regional heritage of areas and the practice of quilting. The word quilt comes from the Latin word culcita meaning “stuffed sack.” A quilt is comprised of three layers of cloth: a top decorated layer, a back layer, and a middle section of stuffing in between. Quilts were an essential item in early American homes used for warmth in the cold months. Quilts would be used as bedding or hung over doorways and windows to keep cold air out. As time went on quilts ranged in style from “patchwork” quilts made from whatever materials might be available to appliqué quilts that incorporated more artistic design to the Victorian era’s “crazy quilts” which featured a hodge podge of materials and images. Quilting was a skill that most woman knew how to do and most girls were taught how to do growing up.
Quilting played a role in American social life too. Quilting bees, also called quilting parties, were popular social events in the 19th century. At quilting bees community members, predominantly women and girls, would gather to finish quilts together. Quilting bees could range from a small gathering of family members to a large community-wide event. These get-togethers were not just functional in purpose by helping women finish quilts and share materials, they were also important on a social level. They provided an opportunity for women to socialize and exchange news, share family updates, perhaps tease a bit of gossip, and pass on wisdom to the next generation. This was a needed function for people in rural communities as regular contact with neighbors was not always feasible. The men and boys were invited to quilting bees as well and the day typically ended with a large meal enabling everyone to enjoy each other’s company. Also, for younger people quilting bees were a good way to meet a prospective spouse. Either organically or by orchestration by other bee attendees some young men and women were able to begin a courtship while stitching.
Quilts were also a part of many early American traditions. A bride was often gifted a special quilt with images that signified love and companionship as a wedding gift. “Album quilts” that featured the names of friends and family members were given as gifts to loved ones. Some families tracked life events such as births and deaths by stitching the clothing of loved ones into quilts to commemorate occasions. There are also theories that quilts were used by conductors on the Underground Railroad to display hidden messages to escaping slaves, however there is little evidence to authenticate this theory.
Barn quilt squares are typically constructed of plywood or aluminum and are 4 ft. x 4 ft. or 8 ft. x 8ft. in size. Known for their bright colors many squares feature actual quilt patterns like the Compass Star, Jacob’s Ladder, Bear Claw, and Drunkard’s Path to name a few. Others incorporate symbols that may be important to a family or a particular region’s history such as various kinds of animals or birds, the 4-H clover, or the cross.
The origins of the barn quilt are believed to have started in Europe in places like Germany and the Netherlands. The quilt served as a marker for travelers to know their whereabouts and as a family symbol for farmers. It is possible that immigrants from these regions brought the barn quilt to the U.S. by the 1800s. However, the barn quilts and their respective trails as we know them today did not become widespread until the early 2000s making them a revival of an old tradition.
Today, many counties across the country have established barn quilt trails to attract visitors, promote local businesses, and celebrate rural heritage. There are barn quilt trails in 48 states and in parts of Canada. Similar to quilting, the barn quilt appears to have become an established kind of folk art created by rural artists across the U.S.
Chandler Hansen grew up and lives in Easton, NY. He is a graduate of Gordon College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in History. He serves as a writer and editor for Morning Ag Clips.
