Door County Barn Quilt Project Underway

The Door County Barn Quilt Project kickoff will include two educational events at Crossroads at Big Creek, a quilting demonstration on Aug. 22 and a historical presentation on Aug. 25.

Last year, Agricultural Heritage Resources and Kewaunee County UW-Extension completed a project with 18 barn quilts – or 8’x8’ plywood squares attached to barns throughout the county, creating a barn quilt trail honoring farmers and quilters, and generating rural tourism – and this year Door County UW-Extension, in collaboration with local organizations, hopes to complete a similar project.

The first event, taking place on August 22 from 1:30 – 3:30 pm, will include a demonstration of quilting through the generations. Throughout the Historic Village visitors can observe demonstrations of hand quilting and piecing, sewing on early sewing machines, and modern quilting techniques. Antique and reproduction quilts from different eras will be displayed. The event will include a lecture by local quilt teacher Georgia Barr.

The second educational event, also at Crossroads at Big Creek, will be take place August 25 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm and will feature presentations by barn historian Dr. William Laatsch, Ph.D., who will provide information about local historical barns and Mary Gaye Rank, a Northeast Wisconsin Technical College textile instructor, who will talk about the meaning and historical significance of quilt blocks.

Both events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Pam Peterson at 920.746.2260 or via email at [email protected].