Small Town News

Quitters aim to storm Plumas barns

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It's almost underground it's so unknown, but a group of women have been quietly preparing a new tourist market for Plumas County -- barn quilts. Or more accurately: large wooden quilt blocks reproduced on plywood and hung on the sides of barns, roofs, sheds and fences around the Quincy area.

The idea has some resemblance to the Pennsylvania Dutch barn hexes and has become a major agritourist industry in Appalachia and the Midwest -- 23 states in all, even Lake County, here in California.

Donna Sue Groves began the Clothesline of Quilts in Adams County, Ohio, when she erected a Snail's Trail quilt block on the side of an old tobacco barn in honor of her mother, a master quilter.

The quilt block names tend to represent the themes and activities of farming and

country life: Churn Dash, Wild Geese, Farmer's Daughter, Log Cabin, Corn and Beans.

Quincy resident and quilter Carolyn Kenney brought the idea to Plumas County after attending a quilt instructors' workshop. She created a 4-foot by 4-foot panel for one of her outbuildings and a smaller 2x2 for another and told others about it.

Now, some half-dozen women have quilt blocks on their homes and in their gardens.

Kenney and fellow quilter Mary Weddle have been talking to Suzi Brakken at the Plumas County Visitors Bureau; Hope Patton at The Finishing Touch; Roxanne Valladao, Plumas Arts; Lucia Biunno, Plumas-Sierra County 4-H coordinator; and Jean Cunningham, Mountain Building Supply. They hope to obtain grants to spread the quilt blocks around the county.

For more information, contact Kenney at 283-2954.



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© 2011 The Chester Progressive Chester, California. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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