The Story Quilter’s Threads documentary about the Ashtabula County Barn Quilt Trail is now available on YouTube in its entirety.
This 2017 film was made by Carl E. Feather for the barn quilt committee when he was working as lodging tax administrator for Ashtabula County. The film features interviews with barn quilt owners and makers, as well as trail co-founder Kathy McCarty. It includes footage of installing the first barn quilt, as well as raising barn quilts on covered bridges.
Enjoy!
The Ashtabula Barn Quilt Trail welcomes two new 4×4 barn quilts to the trail for 2022-23.
Doug Carman, owner of a red barn on Rockwell Road in Ashtabula, installed a 4×4 Nautical Star on the front of his barn. Rockwell is off Plymouth Ridge and on your way to the Olin Covered Bridge (Dewey Road). This is barn quilt no. 114.
In Rome Township, Granny’s Pumpkin Patch greets visitors to Phyllis Reynold’s home at 4071 Route 45 South. This 4×4 was painted by Jeff and Rachel Scribben of Artistic Woodworks, Pierpont.
The Pumpkin Patch barn quilt is visible only when traveling north on Route 45; it is mounted on posts.
Interested in being on the trail? Browse the website for more information/inspiration, or contact Kathy McCarty, trail co-founder, at mckatquilts@gmail.com.
150 North Market Street, Jefferson.
Route 46 to Jefferson; east on East Jefferson to North Market.
41.740758,-80.7641644
A custom 8×9 foot designed and painted by the owners, Fred and Carol Bliss. The quilt is located at the site of a former railroad trestle collapse and a graveyard, thus the “End of the Line Junction.” Read their story.
The Ashtabula County Barn Quilts Trail Steering Committee will have an exhibit, information and presentations in the Century Log Cabin during the 2017 Ashtabula County Fair, Aug. 8 to 13.
Volunteers, including barn quilt owners, will staff the building from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
The county’s barn quilt trail has grown rapidly since the first barn quilt went up on the Blakeslee Log Cabin Barn in Plymouth Township just 38 months ago. “We are closing in on having 100 barn quilts,” says trail co-founder and quilter Kathy McCarty. “We are an all-volunteer steering committee that is driven by a passion for giving tourists another reason to visit our county while beautifying our countryside.”
The barn quilts tell a story about a family, farm or business. One of the most stunning quilts on the trail symbolically tells the story of the Housel farm on Simon Road South. Another barn quilt, across the road, honors the late Chris Angerman, co-founder of the trail.
During the fair, Gary Tabor, a barn quilt artist from Williamsfield, will demonstrate the tracing, taping and painting techniques that are used to create a barn quilt.
“Painting a barn quilt is not difficult, but it does require some training in proper technique,” McCarty says. “We are grateful for Gary’s participation and willingness to share his knowledge with fairgoers.”
Visitors will be able to view the progression of making a quilt, thanks to Gary’s participation. He also is providing several barn quilt blanks in various stages of completion.
There will be photos of the county’s most stunning barns and barn quilts displayed in the log cabin, and a daily Power Point presentation at 5 p.m. will tell the story of the trail through pictures and discussion.
The Log Cabin is located in the rides area of the fairgrounds and near the east entrance. There are two barn quilts on the floral (octagonal) building, plus four agriculture-related barn quilts at the west entrance.
“We are thrilled to be part of the Ashtabula County Fair,” McCarty says. “Our presence was made possible through the dedication of Tracey Housel, a barn quilt owner, and the generosity of the Fair Board. The Barn Quilt Trail Steering Committee and the Fair Board share a common interest in promoting Ashtabula County’s agricultural community, and we look forward to being part of the county fair tradition this year.”
In the photo. Burton Cole (left) of the Warren Tribune interviews Harold W. and Betty Babb at their home on July 19, 2017, for a story about Trumbull County’s barn quilt trail. Their Ohio Star with Oliver Tractor emblem is on a carport built to look like a covered bridge. Both Harold and Betty lived on farms in Ashtabula County. Betty’s late husband and she farmed the Simons Road South property now owned by Dale and Meg Toukonen, who have Windhorse Farm and a barn quilt.
Ashtabula County’s neighbor to the south, Trumbull County, has its first barn quilt, on a carport built to look like a covered bridge.
The barn quilt was painted by Williamsfield Township BQ artist Gary Tabor. Owners are Harold W. and Betty Babb of 8843 Turner Mullen Road, Kinsman (the road itself is in Pennsylvania and also is known as “State Line Road).
The Ohio Star pattern is embellished with the Oliver tractor emblem. Harold’s family farm, which was on Route 322 in Williamsfield Township, used the Oliver equipment. Harold is a Korean-era veteran, and his wife wanted to honor his service with the red-and-blue motif.
Ashtabula County’s Barn Quilt Trail is pleased to offer its website and support to this fledging effort. We look forward to the partnership and hopefully what will become a Lake Erie to Ohio River BQT!
The Fuller Farm in Williamsfield Township recently installed an 8×8 barn quilt on the red barn at County Line and Simons Road South.
The farm buildings and several acres have been sold to Ron and Estonia Hunt, who “inherit” the International Harvester barn quilt as part of the real estate transaction. Mr. Fuller will continue to farm the land surrounding the house, barn and other out buildings.
We welcome the Hunts to our trail and appreciate their enthusiasm for being part of Ashtabula County’s rural community.
A dedication of the 8×8-foot brick schoolhouse barn quilt will be held 2 p.m. Nov. 5, 2016, at Geneva Township Park, Austin Road and Route 531, GOTL.
This barn quilt is being painted by Artistic Woodworks. The CDC of Ashtabula County provided the funding for the quilt.
An open house is being held in conjunction with this quilt dedication. The purpose of the open house is to acquaint the public with the century building and receive input on plans to use it as a museum/learning center for the area.
Video presentations will run throughout the afternoon and Jack Sargent, GOTL native, will give a presentation on growing up on The Strip (3 p.m.).
Please join us for this dedication!
Applications for inclusion on the 2017 Barn Quilt Trail map are no longer being accepted.
The Barn Quilt Trail has closed out the year with 81 barn quilts. Our gallery will be updated this fall to provide information on the latest barn quilts to join the trail.
If you are thinking about painting a barn quilt or having one painted for installation in 2017, please download the application here.
Geneva’s Community Sampler is the January 2017 barn quilt photo in Suzi Parron’s Barn Quilts 2017 Calendar.
The sampler quilt was dedicated in July 2017 and commemorates the 150th anniversary of the village’s/city’s founding. It is the largest barn quilt in Ohio.
The calendar is available from Suzi’s website and the local committee is looking into selling it as a fundraiser for the trail.
