The slightly cooler weather makes right now the perfect time to go on a trip exploring around the Bay. If you’re not familiar with barn quilt trails, I suggest checking them out.
In Maryland, the first trail by the Bay is found in Calvert County. Quite a few squares can be found near the Bay in the towns of North Beach and Chesapeake Beach.
Although the barn quilt movement started out creating replicas of traditional American barn quilt patterns, many squares are now original designs. The squares can be found on private homes, museums, businesses, and, of course, on barns. The squares are typically eight by eight feet.
One of the newest quilts is “Just a While,” located on Bay Avenue in North Beach, Maryland. Featuring a crab and a Maryland flag motif, the square is visible from the Bay and the boardwalk.
The American quilt movement began when Donna Sue Groves of Adams County, Ohio wanted to honor her mother and her love of quilting. In 2001, she painted a replica of a quilt square on their tobacco barn door. Now, there are more than 13,000 quilt squares all over the U.S.
The mission of the Calvert Barn Quilt Trail is to promote Calvert County’s agricultural heritage, local history and artistic talent through the exhibition of hand-painted quilt squares on barns and buildings throughout Calvert County.
The driving trail follows 33 (and counting!) unique barn quilt squares.
“Number 34, named “Brownie, the Goat,” is completed,” says Sue Mills, an artist who paints the squares. “We are waiting for it to go up. I’m currently working on number 35, titled, Osprey Sunrise that will go on the back deck railing of a home on 1st Street in North Beach, Maryland, making it viewable from the Boardwalk.”
Mills says there are four more in the queue after two mentioned above.
To map the trail, visit www.CalvertArts.org/
While not located near the Bay, other spots in Maryland—as well as Virginia—feature their own barn quilt trails. Check out the trails in Carroll, Garrett and Harford counties in Maryland. In Virginia, you’ll find the Blue Ridge Barn Quilt Trail and the Highland County trail, along with trails in Loudoun County and Craig County.
