The Barn Quilt

The Earliest Versions of Barn Quilts Have Been Around For Hundreds of Years.

Barn Quilt History

Quilt patterns on barns date back to colonial America. After the colonists became established and had spare income, they painted small patterns on the ends of the barns as a way to celebrate their heritage. Marilyn Carrigan, executive director of the Truman Museum in Truman, Minnesota, says, "The history of the barn quilt begins about 300 years ago with the arrival of immigrants from the Rhine region of Germany. They came for religious freedom. These groups included Amish, Mennonites, Lutherans and other Reform groups. Many settled in Pennsylvania, especially in Berks, Lancaster and Lehigh counties." The designs can still be found in the Amish communities today. The designs were also believed to protect the farm and bring good fortune.

Just as fabric quilts have their own unique history, so do barn quilts.  While barns were not painted back in the day, they were decorated with different types of folk art.  This included quilt blocks once paint was readily available and affordable.  People chose certain blocks to reflect particular meanings.

Picking a pattern.

A Barn Quilt is a Large Piece of Wood That is Painted to Look Like a Quilt Block.

Even though the name implies that an entire quilt is painted onto the wood, it generally is only a single quilt block. The size of the squares vary, but usually, they measure 8 feet. After they are painted, these blocks are hung on the exterior of a barn, house, garage or other building.

Drawing out the pattern and picking colors.

History of the Quilt Trail

In the early 2000's, barn quilts start showing up again, and these are the ones we are used to seeing today.  This is also when the first quilt trail began, originating in Ohio.

The first color.

A quilt trail consists of many barn quilts that are mapped together and visited.  Those following along the trail receive a map with all the locations marked, and viewers drive through the countryside to see all of the blocks.  Today their are quilt trails all over the United States.  A wide variety of people have created them, including quilt guilds, school, churches, and 4-H clubs.

The second color.

The majority of barn quilts are comprised of simple geometric shapes, like squares, rectangles and triangles. This makes them easier to create. They usually are painted in solid colors, though every now and then, you’ll come across one that has been painted to look like printed fabric. The simplicity in shape and the vibrancy of solid colors make these blocks easily seen from afar. If they are too complicated, the details can be lost.

The third color and finished square.  This is 10" x 10" barn quilt that could be displayed on the front
of the house or decorate the inside.  Actual barn sized barn quilts are much larger.

Sources:

The History of Barn Quilts

What are Barn Quilts