Cooperative Living May 2020 - 13

But if someone has an idea, Dillard is more than happy
to bring it to life.
One client wanted a barn quilt of a bird as a cherished
reminder of her childhood. " She wanted a redbird, " Dillard
says. " When she was a little girl, her mother told her that
when she wrote Santa, she should clip it to the clothesline and
the redbird would take it to Santa Claus. And she said, 'I still
think the redbird brings messages from him.' So, we worked
to find the right size, the right images to go on her barn. "
Another quilt is visible from Interstate 81 near Radford.
It's an intricate double wedding ring, which is a popular quilt
style. Dillard's client received a woven-style quilt for her
1963 marriage, but the fabric hasn't stood up to the test of
time. The one on the barn will.
" I made the barn quilt for her and she is so happy, "
Dillard says. " People say, 'But you don't get paid.' I say, 'I get
paid in the joy that people show - and you cannot buy
this - when they walk in and see the finished product.' "
ARTIST AT WORK
For Dillard, the blade is as important as the brush. She
carves designs with a utility knife, applies masking tape to
the relevant area, and then trims the tape so she can paint in
a precise area. Her studio looks like a color wheel gone wild,
with just about every possible permutation of paint kept in
recyclable containers.
Once the pattern is in hand, production can take a couple
of weeks, though that varies depending on the complexity
of the project or a work backlog. Dillard prefers a semigloss
exterior latex for her quilts.
Blazing the Barn Quilt Trail
Our region is home to some fascinating barn quilt
trails. Here are some sightseeing options you can do
without leaving your car.
CRAIG COUNTY, VA
Some 50 barn quilts - and the number is growing -
dot the highways and backroads of this New River
Valley County. You'll find many of them along Va.
42, which bisects the county from northeast to
southwest. The New Castle and Newport areas are
particular hot spots. Three barn quilts are visible
north of New Castle at White Oak Hill Farm, which
also has camels on the property.
Barnquiltsforbooks.com.
" Cotton Boll "
Eastern Shore
GREENE COUNTY, VA
The Blue Ridge Barn Quilt Tour is said to be the largest
in Virginia with more than 100 works of art featured on
barns, fences and houses in 80-plus locations. It started
in 2016 with a push from the Art Guild of Greene County
Economic Development and Tourism. Several are visible
off U.S. 33 as you head to Skyline Drive. Like other tours,
this one is self-guided.
Exploregreene.com/explore/barn-quilt-trail.
co-opliving.com
" It's house paint so you have a certain fluidity. You want to
be as uniform as possible and try to use really smooth brush
strokes so that it will be a flat color, which is what shows up
better. I'm making a sign, after all. This is a sign and it needs
to be read from a distance. "
The material holds up well in inclement weather. A quilt
on a small building behind the county library has been up
since 2014, facing south in full sun. " It's red, green, yellow and
blue, and it's not faded at all. It still looks perfect. So, I keep
telling people I can't guarantee these things, but I think they're
going to last for at least 10 years, " Dillard says.
Prices vary depending on size - a 2-foot square is $125
and an 8-foot square is $450, with in-between sizes as well.
The price covers the materials and library donation; Dillard
adds a small fee for intricate design work.
And Dillard always keeps an eye open for new destinations.
" As I drive down the road, there are places where I keep
thinking, 'I should knock on their door and see if I can put
one up there.' It's amazing fun. " 
For more information, visit barnquiltsforbooks.com.
CAROLINE COUNTY, MD
This is a little different but worth a look when you're on
the Eastern Shore. Caroline County hosts the Byway Quilt Trail,
which features about 15 barn quilt block replicas at historic sites
along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway. Several
agencies put it together in honor of the Tubman centennial.
Volunteers painted each composite material quilt by hand.
They all tie into the Underground Railroad.
Fiberartscenter.com/quilt-trail.
HIGHLAND COUNTY, VA
Known as Virginia's Switzerland, this county has
maintained an active barn quilt tour for several years.
Nearly three dozen quilts catch visitors' eyes, with
several interesting ones along U.S. 220 north and
south of the town of Monterey. Margie Boesch has
been the most prolific barn quilt producer in Highland;
her Jacob's Ladder on Mountain Turnpike honors
the late owner of the farm that it sits on.
Highlandcounty.org/brochures and click on " Barn Quilt Trails. "
LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA
One of the newest additions, the Loudoun County Barn
Quilt Trail opened in 2018. A variety of rural treasures are
mounted on the sides of old barns, some of which are today
used for diverse purposes such as a brewery and crafts display.
Loudounbarnquilts.org.
May 2020 | Cooperative Living | 11
http://www.barnquiltsforbooks.com http://www.Fiberartscenter.com/quilt-trail http://www.Barnquiltsforbooks.com http://www.Highlandcounty.org/brochures http://www.Exploregreene.com/explore/barn-quilt-trail http://www.Loudounbarnquilts.org http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living May 2020

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