Welcome To The Schoharie County Quilt Block Trail [GALLERY]

I personally always like to support Schoharie County after all they've been through!  I've done several of my Reading, Writing and Rhyming appearances at the Schoharie Elementary School, and will remember them always.   But here's something in Schoharie that I know nothing about, do you? 

Welcome to the Schoharie County Quilt Block Trail.

Just what IS it?  How was it started?  Sharon Aitchison wrote a great description that I am reprinting here, since I couldn't have said it better myself!

  In 2001, Donna Sue Groves developed the first QBT in the US.  It happened on a bit of a fluke, really.  She and her mother, who is a master quilter, had moved to a new place, and Donna Sue thought it would be a nice tribute to her mother to paint one of her mother's quilt squares on their barn. That was the start of it, and soon people followed (this was in Ohio).  From there it has blossomed.  For Schoharie County Quilt Barn Trail, it was the brain child of Ginny Schaum, our chairperson (I am secretary/treasurer and Betty Pillsbury is another committee member ... it's pretty much the 3 of us!).  Ginny thought it would be great to celebrate these beautiful old structures with the visual impact of quilt barn blocks; creating the trail would bring tourism back into Schoharie County, following the devastating flood of 2011.  And so it began ... April, 2012, we got going on it, without one penny to fund ourselves!  Ginny and I each put in $25. and got started.   By the time we have our 'second birthday' in April, we expect to have over 50 blocks installed.  The full-sized blocks are 8' x 8' square.  The smaller are 4'x4' square.  They are HUGE, heavy, and GORGEOUS!  Additionally, the activity of cross-generational groups has been wonderful!  The Cobleskill-Richmondville FFA, Cobleskill-Richmondville Rotary, Middleburgh Rotary, Cobleskill-Richmondville's Bulldog Bakery (these kids are something!!!),

Here are some of the photos she sent me

It's actually very cool idea. It makes you stop and appreciate the  buildings in your town instead of just whizzing by them at 55 miles an hour each day.  Thanks very much for sending these, Sharon.  I learned something new (wow -and I thought I knew everything!!  arrf arrf)