Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail

OK it's hard to believe, but I have been  FOUR DAYS without giving a lecture or class.  I needed the break!  We have been in Topeka, Kansas, for a week, after about a month in Nebraska and Colorado. 

Cozad, NE sits on the 100th Meridian.  The local museum has a beautiful quilt block out front!

The drive across Nebraska really is spectacular.  Corn and beans for miles. And miles.  Hard to believe that most of that corn is produced to feed animals!




Georgia Boys in Colorado?


 Really?  It turns out they really were from Georgia!  And the barbecue was pretty darned good!





Back to Nebraska, where a film crew from Nebraska Public TV filmed one of my workshops for a documentary on barn quilts.  How funny that he filmed my my end of the day mess! Over near Omaha is a really lovely quilt trail--the first in Nebraska, in Cass County.  I love this one--Starry Night.

Nebraska also gave us a chance to visit with friends.  Renae Kamler of Fillmore County was one of the early barn quilt trail organizers and has become a friend over the years.  We enjoyed a fun dinner with her family!  Here is one of their barn quilts--Grandmother's Block.  

Now a Nebraska farmer will not let you leave without farm-fresh goodies.  A few days later, Glen and I had a feast!

Now if you post photos of your Nebraska steaks on Facebook and then travel to Kansas, chances are you will end up with another batch of beef!  The brats were yummy; stay tuned for the steak report!

Here I am!

I keep thinking no one reads this blog--hence the lengthy absence.  Then this week four people asked why I had not posted in so long.

The short answer is--BUSY!  Wow. 




Since the new book arrived in May, I have had more then seventy speaking engagements!   It has been so much fun.

We started with an event in Schoharie, New York.

Then on to Ontario, Canada.

Then a few weeks in Michigan
. . .

Well if you want to all of the madness, here is a link:

Suzi's Crazy Schedule

In addition to talking about barn quilts, we have been painting them--take a look!

 These three sisters all painted the same block but look how different it is when the colors are changed!


I had the privilege of teaching a class at the International Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, NE.  Great results, I think!

 This is one of my favorite patterns--the Folded Flag.  The star on this one is kind of wonky, but I think that adds a bit of style!



Lots and lots of barn quilt painting workshops are coming up--including Missouri Star's Birthday Bash in September.  I visited last year, and we had loads of fun.  Can't wait to be part of the celebration!

For more information click here!

OK that's the quick check in.  More to come!

Whew!  We made it through the cold.  But it was tough!  Eight inches of snow in North Carolina!  Yes, it was February--to be expected!  We stayed inside all cozy, as I was hard at work on Book Two. It is coming along well.

Last year, a really sweet woman at one of the quilt guilds I visited gave me this hat.  I wish I knew her name.  I was not only so glad to have it in the cold but also to have the bright colors to add cheer to the frigid days!
A bit of local fun--we stopped off at a rodeo along the way.  This guy is shooting at balloons while moving through a course--and he made it look so easy.
Sigh.  When you enter a parking garage with the kayak racks up, damage will ensue.  Yep.
Glen wasn't really angry--just striking a pose.

I drove to Delaware via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. It's not really scary--but seeing the bridge out in front disappearing is odd.
Love this dairy barn with its ice cream cone silo--fun!

 We spent a week at Delaware Seashore State Park.  Really a pretty place. Probably more so when it's warm.   Even Glen was chilly--and he is never cold!


Another great workshop with the Ocean Waves Guild in Delaware.


I also lectured at some of the guilds in Virginia.  At Tidewater Guild, there was actually a man quilter!  You don't see a lot of them, but they are out there!
 Love quilts in more subtle colors.  OK I love all quilts, but these were some of my favorites that day.

And in Hampton, the Peninsula Piecemakers gave a Quilt of Valor to a local serviceman.  His family was on hand for the presentation.
It's finally getting spring-ish out there--yay!!  Still, many of the RV parks are not open yet.  Oops.  Who knew?  But we have been able to find accommodations--just not always in our first choice of locations.

My 2016 schedule is filling up, and I am working on 2017--hard to believe!  You can always find those updates at www.barnquiltinfo.com

I will skip the excuses and just do a quick catchup here.


Ruby the bus was left behind in Missoula, and we headed West. Washington proved to be more beautiful than I expected.  The mountains surrounding the Kittitas Valley are just an incredible backdrop for barn quilts!

This one is Amish Dahlia.


And my favorite quilt block, Grandmother's Flower Garden. I just love this one with the white fence that matches the trim on the barn.

On to California, where we played tourist a bit. I had a lot of quilt guild appearances scheduled.  But we still had to see the sights.

Glen was brave enough to do this--a lot of people stood and watched and wouldn't try it!



The California Coast looks just like in the movies!

And of course, California has barn quilts. This is Ohio Star in Lake County, where we enjoyed our stay immensely.
Fun in San Francisco. We actually rode our bikes across the Golden Gate!

But


But there was bad news. Really bad news. Glen flew to Missoula to pick up the bus, and  Ruby made it to California. But she just had so many problems. Transmission not shifting. Overheating. Starter malfunction. The repairs not only made our lives difficult; they strained our budget. Again. and Again.

SO--meet Alfa!  After a lot of heartache, we decided to go with a "traditional" RV. It was a tough decision, but we honestly have not regretted it one bit. She is so much easier to drive, roomier, and reliable!



Texas--barbecue, of course!

I have been teaching barn quilt painting classes when I visit quilt guilds, and it has been a blast!  Here are some of the gals in Abilene. And a Texas barn quilt!  There are not many in Texas, but I managed to find some pretty ones.



Kentucky has always been a favorite place for barn quilts. But I still don't think that grass is blue.


Indiana is home to several large quilt trails. This one in Gibson County has over 200. And some are in unusual places.
Love a covered bridge. Even more so with a barn quilt!
We headed down to Florida to enjoy the warm weather. And--at last--we got married! 12-13-14
On the road again! See Ya Soon!