The Stitches in Time Barn Quilt Trail is the newest project of the Franklin County Visitors Bureau.  Barn quilts are wooden signs, painted with representations of quilt blocks.  The concept was originally designed 18 years ago in Ohio where they were mounted on barns, hence the name.  Today, these brightly colored blocks are found on barns, businesses, houses, churches or even garden sheds.

Barn quilts have been organized into trails that can be followed, like a scavenger hunt, and have become a huge boost to tourism. Organized trails are found in 43 states and spreading rapidly.  The largest one in PA is found in nearyby Fulton County.  The Frontier Barn Quilt Trail, was only organized about 6 years ago, and now boasts approximately 203 sites.  Bus tours, road rallies, or private care trips are popular – just go to the website and download their maps.

The Franklin County Visitors Bureau “Stitches in Time Barn Quilt Trail” will launch in the upcoming weeks.  FCVB is in the process of painting the first 30 squares.  The average size is 4 -t, some are 2 and 3-ft. square, and the largest is to 8-ft., particularly when the site is viewed from a distance.

Learn more about the Barn Quilt Trail here.

Special thanks to Franklin County CTA Linda Hartman for authoring the story about the Franklin County Stitches in Time Barn Quilt Trail. Linda is an avid member of the Chambersburg Quilt Guild and approached the Franklin County Visitors Bureau in 2016 about the possibilities of a county-wide barn quilt trail.