| Green County Barn Quilts and the Courthaus Quilt Guild |
| The exhibit at The Dining Room at 209 Main features quilts titled “Summer Breeze.” The textiles are the work of members of the Courthaus Quilt Guild of Monroe. Program coordinators Kris Winkler and Lynn Lokken led members in a “mystery” quilting project this spring that produced the quilts on display. Each member was asked to choose two companion fabrics from their home collections and bring them to a meeting. At the meeting they were given cutting and piecing instructions for part of the quilt—no picture of the finished project. Over a period of two months, members followed instructions only to create the nine “Summer Breeze” patterned quilts on display. The quilts reflect the personalities of the quilters. Sue Wild prefers hand quilting and traditional colors—hers is red and white. Lokken added buttons for textural “pop”; Winkler decided to use three colors instead of two. And others brought their own expressions to a pattern that was a “mystery” until they revealed it. |
|
The quilting duo of Winkler and Lokken add a second element to the quilt display. In 2007 the two started the Barn Quilts of Green County project. Through an application process, the team recruits barns and agricultural history for the display of eight-foot square painted quilt blocks. Each barn owner meets with Lokken and Winkler to custom chose a traditional quilt pattern and colors. The pattern is then painted onto the wood and the finished product is hung. Lokken and Winkler, working closely with the agriculture and tourism industries in Green County, have produced a tour guide of the Barn Quilt project. Through the website—www.greencountybarnquilts.com—and the brochure, visitors can enjoy summer breezes while driving through the Green County countryside on a barn quilt foray. |
|
For the Dining Room’s exhibit, the duo created a four-foot square barn quilt titled “Woodland Path.” Visitors to the display are able to have a close-up view of the project. The Barn Quilt brochure is also available to guide a road trip in search of the quilts. Lokken and Winkler’s commitment to the project was three years and/or 60 quilts. Thirty-three barn quilts are currently on display, 13 are ready to be hung and another seven are in various stages of preparation. So far, they have not had to solicit any barns or help—word of mouth has kept their idea floating on the breezes of Green County. Because of the evolving nature of this project, return trips to the county will give visitors an on-going vista of new barn quilts to explore. And as long as there are organizations like the Green County 4-H Clubs, the Monticello FFA, National and State FFA officers, residents at Pleasant View, and school groups like the Brodhead Senior Projects, Juda Service Learning and the Pecatonica School students, Winkler and Lokken will have the paint pushers to make the quilts continue to come to life. |
|
“Our mission statement explains the project,” Winkler said. This is a celebration of community—agricultural community, historic community, artistic community, service community. “We could never have accomplished this alone.” The Summer Breeze Quilt exhibit will be available for viewing in a dining venue Wednesday through Saturday nights, from 5:00 to 9:30 PM at The Dining Room at 209 Main. In addition, Kathleen D’Angelo has created custom artwork featuring Barn Quilts and Green County scenes. These are available to purchase. |
|
Ruth Knight Sybers Knitter's Treat Monticello, WI 53570 www.209main.com - Textiles - current and past exhibits at The Dining Room at 209 Main knitterstreat@wekz.net - to join e-mail list for announcements of knitting workshops/new exhibits at The Dining Room at 209 Main knitterstreat@wekz.net - to order patterns, books, Vivian Hoxbro kits, yarn, etc. Susanna Hansson workshops - September 21-23,
2009
|
|
As always, a heartfelt thank you to Rhoda Braunschweig who plans and David Braunschweig who assists in "hanging" each exhibit. |
Photos by Lori Manning
Copyright © 2009.
Past Displays:
RareWear -
Fiber Artist Laurie Boyer
Mary Kay McDermott
The Story
of the Textiles from Guatemala
NANCY L. DAVIS
& JOANNE SCHILLING - TEXTILE ARTISTS
MARY JO SCANDIN
- Fiber and contemporary painting
FULLING AND
FELTING
Nostalgia
- Apron Collection by Jean Adler
TEN YEARS
OF TEXTILE EXHIBITS - Ruth Knight Sybers
SILVER THREADS
-- Lee Ann Kleeman
Point of View:
thread-work by Beth Blahut
Latvian Textiles
HANDKERCHIEFS
Hooked Rugs
by Ellie Beck
ELIZABETH
ZIMMERMANN
JOYCE MARQUESS
CAREY
AESOP'S FABLES
First Knitting
Invitational
Weaving and
the Structo Loom
Valentina
Devine Creates
JAPANESE TEXTILES
-- OLD AND NEW
Wearable Art
Moving Weft
Men Who Knit
Quilts by
the Thursday Friends
WEAVING WITH
SEWING THREAD
HISTORIC MONTICELLO
WOOLEN MILL
Katherine
Pence Inspired by Everything
WHY DO I SPIN?
THE EARLY KNITTED
WORKS OF JOYCE WILLIAMS
EMBROIDERY - the late Ellen Scheidler
QUILTS OF MONTICELLO
23 HATS BY ESTHER AND OLGA
FROM GRANDMA'S TRUNK
JEAN NORDLUND - Ewe Hues
NAVAJO RUGS Weavings - Fran Potter
KNITTED LACE
SOCKS
FIRST SHOW: Knitting - Ruth Sybers, Wall
hanging - Kathy LaBeil