Join with fellow geocachers at the Angier Public Library for an enjoyable afternoon of fellowship and learn the art of creating your own Barn Quilt. What you create will be your own souvenir of the event, something you can proudly display at home for years to come. And if you haven't yet earned the Community Celebration Event virtual geocaching souvenir, then this will be an opportunity to get that as well.
Let's Get Creative
Geocachers are invited to enjoy the company of fellow geocachers and learn the art of creating unique, personalized Barn Quilts that may someday turn this area into a Sandhills, Piedmont and Coastal Region Barn Quilt Trail for North Carolina. If you're a serious geocacher, many of us have our own alternative reason to celebrate this year as well: 20/21/22 years of geocaching!
What's a Barn Quilt?
Here's a little about the history of Barn Quilts. Many believe that the Amish culture may have began creating barn quilts in Pennsylvania a couple centuries ago. In the 1800s, painted quilt squares created on barns during the Antibellum era contained secret messages, directions and warnings for runaway slaves from the South into the North.
The more modern history of Barn Quilts began in earnest in 2001 as a woman's wish in Ohio to honor her mother and her Appalachian heritage by having a painted quilt hung on her tobacco barn. Thanks to her promotion of the concept and her recruitment of neighbors to join her, their effort turned quite a few remote rural roads into destination driving trails in the countryside with dozens of barns adorned with unique quilt patterns. That trail is now known as the American Quilt Trail, and the concept soon spread from Ohio to Tennessee, Kentucky, and Iowa, and from there to all 48 continental states and Canada.
Over 7,000 quilts are now part of an organized barn quilt trail, and dozens more are scattered through the countryside waiting to be discovered. Even locally, urban and suburban structures in and around Harnett County have slowly adopted the concept, and unique barn quilt designs can be seen along the roads as you travel around the area. Two years ago, the Harnett County Barn Quilt and History Trail was formed with the goal of spreading art, culture and education across the county, Some believe that creation of barn quilts has now become the largest grassroots public arts movement in our history.
Painted quilt patterns don't have to be on barns though. A quilt design can be on the side of any building that the quilter or designer sees fit to put it on, and even on display inside their house. Whether chosen from a family's own favorite colorful quilt pattern that has been passed down through the years, or a design of artistic originality meaningful primarily to the designer or to an organization, when it is turned into public art on their own barn or another building, it may become part of a quilt trail.
Many serious quilters believe that quilt patterns exude energy, power and influence, and many people have quilt stories to share or remember favorite quilt designs of aged family members. So now is the time to run to your closets or pull quilts out from under your bed and share these stories in your own creative way. Do you have your own quilt story to share through the creation of a modest-sized barn quilt? Or would you like to create an image related to your love of geocaching? If so, this may be your opportunity to do so in a unique and personal way!
Event Particulars
This community celebration event will be held at the Angier Public Library meeting room in downtown Angier.
The event is scheduled to start promptly at 10:00 am. An event participation log will be available throughout the entire event. Group photos will be taken periodically to try to get pictures of everyone participating, especially those for those arriving or departing at different times throughout the event. For participants bringing trackables, geocaching coins and trade items, they can be displayed on a table close to the work area.
One-foot square MDC or plywood boards, a variety of paints and brushes, and painter's tape will be available to assist you in creating your keepsake barn quilt, or you may bring your own supplies. Guided instruction (both in person and written instructions) will be provided to get you started. Display tripods will be available to display completed barn quilts, and to show off your work-in-progress or your finished work.
Health & Safety
Regarding present Coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, this will be an indoor event. Wearing of face coverings and frequent use of sanitizer is encouraged while at the event, as well as recognizing and respecting social distancing from other participants outside your family circle. Tables will be spread out in the library annex where the event is being held. For that reason, the venue will limit the group size, so make your plans to attend early.
Latrine facilities are available inside the building. The event organizer will have cold bottled water available at the event. Please do not bring other drinks or snacks into the workspace.
Notes of Appreciation
A big thank you to the Angier Public Library Director for providing the facility to host this event. Also many thanks to the North Carolina Geocachers Organization (NCGO) for helping defray some of the costs associated with this event.
Community Celebration Events - 2020
This Event is part of a limited release of Community Celebration Events to celebrate 20 years of geocaching. Geocachers hosted events between May 2, 2020 and December 31, 2022. Learn more about Community Celebration Events on the Geocaching Blog.