A drive through Shawano County Wisconsin is very colorful today because more than 300 brillant "quilt blocks," called barn quilts are on display on barns throughout the county. The Shawano County Barn Quilt Project was started by Shawano writer/author Jim Leuenberger in 2010. In June 2010 Jim proposed the idea to local 4-H clubs as a possible club service project. Since then, several clubs have sponsored and painted barn quilts. And individuals have supported the project through sponsoring a quilt and/or having a quilt put on their barn. Shawano County now calls the county the Barn Quilt Capital of Wisconsin, for good reason. I became interested in the project after seeing a barn quilt on my brother's barn and also because my grandfather settled in the area near Norrie, Wisconsin in 1892. I have always been interested in art so I put together two coloring books featuring barn quilts in Shawano County. A barn quilt is made by painting a pattern on two 4' by 8' sheets of 3/4 inch plywood and then mounting them on a barn to form an eight foot square. Two coats of primer are applied to both sides of the boards and the edges. After the pattern is drawn out, Frog (painters) tape is applied. Three coats of each color are applied, with each coat being allowed to dry overnight. After the quilt is finished it is allowed to dry for at least two weeks before it is put upon a barn.Shawano County now calls the county the Barn Quilt Capital of Wisconsin, for good reason. I became interested in the project after seeing a barn quilt on my brother's barn and also because my grandfather settled in the area near Norrie, Wisconsin in 1892. I have always been interested in art so why not put together two coloring books featuring barn quilts in Shawano County. Take a tour of Shawano County and locate some of the barn quilts illustrated in books... Wisconsin Barn Quilts Book One and Wisconsin Barn Quilts Book Two. Five of my other coloring books...Geometric Designs Coloring Books One, Two, Three, Four and Five are also on Amazon.Coloring books are fun and good for stress!!
