May 31 and June 1, 4-H members from Moody, Sanborn, and Aurora counties came together to participate in a Barn Quilt workshop. The concept of barn quilts began with Donna Sue Groves and her wish to honor her mother, Maxine, and her Appalachian heritage by having a painted quilt hung on her barn in Adams County, Ohio, back in 2001. Often after the quilts are painted and hung on barns, a quilt barn trail is created in the community. This simple idea has spread to 48 states and to Canada, and the trail continues to grow. Over 7,000 quilts are part of organized trails; dozens more are scattered through the countryside waiting to be discovered.

The event was led by instructor Vicki Cooley of Sioux Falls. Each participant picked their pattern and colors ahead of time. Youth worked for four hours each day to complete their barn quilt. The quilts can be seen at Achievement Days.

…Check out pictures of the event in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal.