Who invented barn quilts?

A Barn Quilt is a painting of a quilt, or a

single quilt block pattern, placed on the side of a barn or other

large building. These paintings are typically painted on large

pieces of wood and mounted to the side of the building, or painted

directly on the wall. These beautiful painted Barn Quilts were born

in the Mid-Western United States, but have spread to communities

across the U.S. and Canada.

It is believed that the concept of the Barn

Quilt originated with Donna Sue Groves who wished to honor her

mother, an avid quilter, and her Appalachian heritage, by having a

large quilt square painted on the side of Donna's barn in Adams

County, Ohio. Donna's work with the Ohio Arts Council resulted in a

collection of 20 additional quilt blocks being painted on barns

along a local driving trail in the hopes that it would attract more

visitors to their community. The particular quilt pattern painted

on the barn would frequently be a replica of a quilt owned by the

family, or that honored a loved one. The "Corn and Beans" pattern

was a particular favorite among farmers.