On just about any drive through the North Carolina countryside, you may see a colorful painted quilt block pattern adorning a barn, public building, shop or private home. Such encounters are always a pleasant and unexpected surprise.
They’re all part of grassroots movement that began in 2001 when an Ohio women painted a block on her family barn to honor her mother, a quilter. From that first block, the idea has spread across the nation resulting in thousands of painted quilt blocks. Swain County’s artists are no exception.
We have organized ten of our roadside quilt designs into a self-guided driving tour. Some are in the countryside, others in town. The Quilt Trail webpage provides information about each unique design, including accounts of the artists’ inspiration as:
The quilt block located on Bryson City’s Island Park is based on the popular ‘double wedding ring’ pattern yet painted in a “colorful way that celebrates the woodlands and the flowers gracing the grounds of Island Park during the summer months”.
Viewing these quilts is a great way to explore the county. For more information, including Google Maps driving assistance to each location, visit the Swain County Quilt Trail.
Around Deep Creek
American Dream
Smoky Mountains
Double Wedding Ring
Railroad Spirit
Harmony Square
Southwestern Community College
East Alarka Mountains
