Priceless Community Art

Just recently I posted a photo of a Mail Pouch barn and had said I hoped to find more. Last week on a day trip I came across another of the historic structures. This one sits in Friendly, West Virginia. As I stopped to take a picture of the barn I noticed another small outbuilding beside the residence behind the barn. On the side of the building you will notice a quilt pattern. I’m not positively sure of the pattern’s name but suspect it is a variation of something called “girl’s choice.” On the other hand I could be completely wrong. My dear mother-in-law was the quilter in the family. I’m sure she’s shaking her head up there in quilter’s heaven and disowning me for my lack of knowledge!
Last year my mother had given me a magazine that ran a short article about these quilt patterns on barns in the state of Iowa. Barns play an important role in Iowan heritage. With quilting being another part of that heritage, quilt blocks on barns seem to go hand in hand. This link, http://www.barnquilts.com/2359.html, will take you on a virtual tour of actual photos of the displayed barn quilts in Sac County, Iowa.
Apparently this endeavor has begun in several communities across the nation. The original idea may have begun in the state of Ohio. In addition to Iowa and Ohio, parts of Kentucky and Tennessee have also jumped on the barn quilt wagon. On one of my first day trips after moving back here to West Virginia last summer I spotted my first quilt barn down the hillside from the interstate. At the time I didn’t carry my camera everywhere I went. Shame on me; and yes, I’ve learned my lesson! Knowing there are two here in West Virginia I’m certainly going to be on the lookout for more priceless community art ~ and with camera in hand!