Clothesline of Quilts

Throughout several counties in the state of Ohio, there is a countryside trail of painted patchwork quilt blocks that have become known as the clothesline of quilts. This trail began 5 or 6 years ago when a woman created a large painted quilt block for her family’s barn. The clothesline of quilts has led to additional quilt trails in other states, among them The Appalachian Quilt Trail.

It all began when Ohio resident, Donna Groves wanted to give tribute to her mother, Maxine Groves, a State-recognized Master Quilter. Donna thought that a painted quilt block on the family barn in Manchester, Ohio was a perfect way to honor her mother.

Who would have ever thought that one painted quilt block on a family barn would lead to a number of barns painted with patchwork quilt blocks? This small tribute to Maxine Groves has evolved into a countryside artistic display around the eastern section of Ohio. Named The Clothesline of Quilts, this colorful display of barn art pays tribute to American quilters and to patchwork quilts.

With the popularity of these painted quilt blocks, maps of the routes for Ohio’s Clothesline of Quilts have been prepared. Both local residents and tourists to the area can enjoy them by following the mapped routes: Adams County led the quilted pathway as the location of Donna Groves’ first painted block. Athens, Adams, Pike, Brown, and Vinton Counties have now become active in creating routes for these painted patchwork quilt blocks.

And currently, the Bob Evans Farm Museum has an exhibit of quilts from the collection of Maxine Groves, the woman who is the inspiration for all the quilt squares on the barns. This exhibit will be on display from April 1, through December 23, 2008.