Milestone barn quilt installed at Hagermans

Celebrating the installation of the 100th barn quilt at Hagerman Farms, from left, Robert Quaiff, PEC Mayor, Mary Simpson, of Ontario Barn Quilt Trails; Pat Dubyk, PEC Co-ordinator; and Mary Hagerman with granddaughters JEnnifer and Jody.

Prince Edward County’s largest outdoor gallery hit a milestone Monday with the installation of the 100th barn quilt.

Hagerman Farms, near the round-a-bout outside Picton, is the site of the first barn quilt and now the 100th, 101st and 102nd.

The 100th barn quilt was copied from a block on an anniversary quilt created by the friends of Irene and the late Lyle Hagerman, for their 50th anniversary in 2005.

“All their friends prepared a block and then they sewed them all together,” said Pat Dubyk, PEC Barn Quilt Trails co-ordinator. “Another quilt created by Mrs. Hagerman that is pink and white, is the basket design and it was interpreted for the 101st quilt.”

A fabric quilt created by Ginny Klein was also unveiled.

Pat Dubyk, Mayor Robert Quaiff and Irene Hagerman cut the celebration cake. Her anniversary quilt is at back, left. Ginny Klein’s is at right.

“Ginny took our barn quilts that we painted and she quilted 20 of them into fabric squares representing our barn quilt trail,” said Dubyk. “We’re hoping it might go on a tour of the County – maybe to the town halls and the libraries and museums so the whole community can get to see them.”

Founded in 2013 by Pat and her husband Ron, the trail has been supported by many residents and business owners and a dedicated group of volunteers.

PEC Barn Quilt Trails feature eye-catching painted barn quilts – eight-fott square (and some smaller) replicas of actual quilt blocks, mounted on buildings such as barns, museums, parks, schools and businesses throughout the County.

Patterns are often chosen to represent the family or reflect the business and some are simply appealing to the owners.

The PEC trails have been supported by Picton Home Hardware, the Ontario Barn Quilt Trails and the Trillium Foundation.

Mary Simpson, of the Ontario Barn Quilt Trails, noted she was pleased to be at the installation and milestone celebration on Monday. The Ontario Barn Quilt Trails is a network of barn quilt champions, local trails, and sponsors working together to promote and enhance rural Ontario’s creativity, arts, heritage and culture.

About five years ago a group of keen volunteers in Southwest Ontario began a barn quilt movement and it has grown to more than six counties with more than 100 barn quilt displays.

Barn quilts are also popular in the United States, where it is believed the movement began, and feature more than 6,000 barn quilts.

Mayor Quaiff, Ms Simpson and the Dubyks with quilts 102, 101 and 100 at Hagerman Farms, also the location of the first quilt on the PEC trail.