Barn quilts of Washington County to meet

Barn Quilts of Washington County is planning a meeting at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Washington County Extension Office. Anyone interested in being part of this group is encouraged to attend.

Barn Quilts of Washington County was formed in 2007. It is a countywide project designed to celebrate and promote the culture, heritage and progressive nature of Washington County by placing quilt blocks on barns and other suitable buildings throughout the county.

?This project met with a lot of support and enthusiasm from the very beginning,? said Kathy Ebert, committee member. ?Many of the original barn quilt committee members are still a part of the project, but we are looking for new members to help assist with the next phase which will focus on continuing, maintaining and marketing this project,? Ebert added.

In 2010 then-Governor Chester J. Culver issued a Certificate of Recognition to Washington County Barn Quilters for ?Preserving Our Heritage in a Modern World.? The governor wished the group well in becoming the barn quilt capital of Iowa.

Washington County has nearly 120 barn quilts scattered throughout the county which they think is the largest number in Iowa. This barn quilt project is unique in that it has four driving loops with different themes. The loops form a pumpkin seed pattern with Washington in the center. The loops themes are the Amish Loop, Liberty Loop, Nature Loop and Agricultural Loop. The barn quilt patterns within a loop support that loop?s theme.

The committee partners with the Washington Tourism Committee and Washington County Extension in project. The group is looking for interested persons to help with continuing and maintaining this project. For information on Barn Quilts of Washington County contact the Extension office at 319-653-4811 or attend the meeting on Oct. 27.