AQS 2013 Grand Rapids: See Rock City

Do any of you remember those signs painted on roofs and sides of old barns that told you to “See Rock City” as a vacation destination? Well, those barns and signs were the inspiration for this quilt. (As it turns out, Rock City is in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. I guess my folks thought that was a little too far to go for a trip with 4 kids.)

I was looking forward to seeing this quilt in person, because I had read Julie’s play-by-play process of making this quilt, documented on her blog in the last year or so.

 Julie is a quilter from Tennessee, but originally from Michigan, with family in West Michigan.  She managed to make it to the Grand Rapids AQS show to see her quilt hang (among other things at the show) and to see a nephew get married the same weekend.

There is a lot more to this quilt than meets the eye (especially since the ropes at the show kept everyone back a good eight feet).  Here’s what I know about the quilt:

• Each barn was free-pieced. No pattern used.
• There is one barn per month of the year, with details near each barn to hint at the corresponding month’s weather.
• The quilt was put together with sashing between the blocks, but not finished, because a voice in her head told her something was not right. She took the quilt apart and realized that the fabulous free-pieced barns needed a free-pieced sky to go with the barn’s season. Much better!

Click here for a link to the whole process and back story.

And I got to meet Julie ever-so-briefly in the lobby of the DeVos Place (where the show was held). Nice to finally meet you, Julie. And thanks for letting me share your quilt with people who didn’t know about you before now!