For the LOVE of Quilts.

I love quilts!  Especially when some were made by my Grandma Smith.

A photo of my Grandma in late summer of 1967.  Her name was Verda.  She loved to piece quilt tops and quilt them.  She also loved to embroider pillowcases, table scarves and chair arm covers.  I'd like to think this is where I get my love and appreciation for handmade quilts and their fabrics.  She and my Grandpa had four daughters and one son.  The youngest daughter, Rosella,  made a fine living sewing draperies from her home.  At 6 years of age, I remember being in awe looking over her organized colored spools of thread and bobbins hanging on a board on the wall next to her sewing machine.  They were ready at a glance for whatever project she was working on at the time.  I loved the beautiful shades of color but I think even more, I loved the medium of cotton covered thread and how it related to fabric.  Once when my mom was in the kitchen doing the dishes, I remember going through her button box, selecting a needle and thread and rummaging through her rag bag for a piece of fabric to sew..."a purse"!  I sat on the couch and pricked my fingers with the needle at least a dozen times but I finished whatever it was I was trying to make because I wanted to do it so badly.

The old tin button box.  I'm 53 and it's older than me!

There are some neat wooden spools as well as a mixture of turqoise, burnt orange and olive green from the sixties.  A pin cushion I made out of felt when I was younger.  :)  Old coat buttons, lace, elastic & zippers.  Back then when a garment wore out, mom would dismantle it and save that kind of stuff off of it and use the fabric torn into cleaning rags.  Nothing ever went to waste.

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As summer heatedly leads on, the farm fields are tall with tasseled corn, lush with soy beans and there is a great  addition to the hominess of our country landscape.  In 2007, the Miami County Vistors and Convention Bureau wanted to join the towns in our county and promote them.  The unanimous decision was by way of art.  They commissioned the painting talent of self taught Rafael Santoyo, folk artist.  The result is amazing!

It all began here with one of our local mexican style restaurants hiring Rafael to paint murals to add authentic atmosphere to the El Sombrero Restaurant.  The quilt on the outside of the building is called:  Cactus Quilt.

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The Barn Quilts of Miami County

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Sheafer Barn - Ohio Star

Malarkey Barn - Mariner's Compass

Miami County Fairgrounds - Laced Star

The Miami County Commissioners Barn - Crocus Wreath

Miami County Board of MRDD - Right Hand of Friendship

RT Industries - Pinwheel  #4

Beautiful home and barn of the Duff family - Texas Star

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The Cron Barn - Wild Zinnias

Reynolds Barn - Anvil

The Pickerel Barn - God's Eye

Meyer Barn - Vermont

This quilt block is unique in the fact that it wraps around the corner of the barn.

Mott Barn - Grandmother's Fan

Beautiful home and farm setting of the Mott family.

D. Hiegel Barn - Card Trick

Great story to this barn.  The barn was built in 1827 by an Irishman who was one of the first earliest settlers in the township.

Jess Barn - Farmer's Daughter

David L. Brown Youth Center

The old Children's Home

Patriots

Sponsor:  The Western Ohio Chapter of Korean War Veterans

Walker Barn - Spinning Star

Waker Barn - Double T

Mullen Barn - Spinning Color Wheels

West Barn - Flying Geese

Knoop Barn - Corn and Beans

I love the names of these quilt squares!

Williams Barn - Carpenter's Wheel

So impeccable!

This sweet building was beside the barn & between the house.  I'd love to think a school teacher lives here!

Gustin Barn - Dresden Plate

I love the way the artist, Rafael Santoyo painted areas to look like fabric.  So interesting.

This is also the pattern of a quilt that my Grandma made.  Love this.

Robbins Barn - Woodbox

The Robbins family also raise Belgian horses.  Did not see any in the pasture this day.

Stewart Barn - Broken Arrows

Petry Barn - Braced Star

The beautiful country farm home of the Petry's.  Hidden by the trees and barely visible were the patriotic swags gracing the covered porch.  I'd love to think of this in imagination as a place to have sat with Grandma and review the awesome art work and quilt block inspiration.

Gray Barn - Gaggle of Pinwheels and Shuman Barn - Fruit Basket

Roberts Barn - Cornucopia

Kerns Barn - Bear Paw

While traveling from one destination to another I saw this awesome pump house with it's Bicentennial depiction!

The blue herron was feasting on something in the small pond in front of the pump house.

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This marks the end to the viewing of the quilt barns of Miami County to the East.  There are so many more I'd love to see such as Sunbonnet Sue and the story that goes with this is that the owner's middle name is Sue and her grandmother's both wore sunbonnets.  Also the Ohio schoolhouse quilt square whose owner's chose it on behalf of their son who recently became the assistant principal to a local shool.  There are also other great names of squares such as Martha Washington Star, Joseph's Coat, Country Farm, Heart Wreath and All Hallows that I'd like to see.  These would be located on the West side of the county and hopefully another drive will result in photo rendition to be published on a great sunny summer afternoon! 

Enjoy your summer with fond thinking of the folks and things you love and as always keep safety in mind.

Love,

Kris