ELLIS COUNTY BARN QUILT PROJECT: 15 quilts – and counting

ENNIS – Former Texas Governor Rick Perry launched the Texas Barn Quilt Trail initiative in 2009 at the 35th Annual Houston International Quilt Festival. 

The goal was to connect all 254 counties starting with 66 counties in North Texas.

Ellis County recently got involved with the trail with the help of the City of Ennis, and there are now 15 installations.

Indeed, it is truly a barn quilt trail to be proud to show off to visitors.

Lilly O’Brien, an integral part of the Ellis County Barn Quilt Trail, called the current trail in Ellis County a work in progress.

“We wanted to help establish an Ellis County Barn Quilt Trail and join the Texas Barn Quilt Trail Initiative,” O’Brien said.

“The goal of the initiative is to have a quilt trail connect all 254 counties in Texas.

“The existing trails in Texas, when we started working on this, included Fannin County (three trails), Pineywoods Barn Quilt Trail (Nacogdoches), Brazos Valley Barn Quilt Trail, Farmersville (near McKinney) and Terry County, home of the first Quilt Trail in Texas.”

O’Brien said the project began in September of last year.

O’Brien and another quilt trail lover, Judy Wensowitch attended their first barn quilt painting class and drove their first barn quilt trail in September 2018 in Northern California.

“The painting class was held at an apple orchard that, of course, had a barn quilt on their barn,” O’Brien said.

  “A few members of the local quilting guild started their county barn quilt trail in conjunction with the area’s wine and farm trail.

“Judy and I both thought what a great project it would be to have one in Ellis County and start it along the Bluebonnet Trail.”

The two ladies planned a barn quilt painting class in conjunction with the Ennis Welcome Center, and the Ennis Arts Commission sponsored the first painting class with more classes planned in the future.

As for the barn quilt trail, there are a variety of quilts and locations with some even having been painted just for the owner’s personal viewing – in their back yards, on the sides of their houses, garages, out-buildings and fences.

There are two in Ovilla, two in Waxahachie, one in Ennis near downtown, three on FM 85, one on Whitfill Rd & FM1182, two on Union Hill Road, one on FM 813 & Sugar Ridge Road, one on FM 1722 & FM 879, one on I-45 Frontage Road & N. Kaufman, and one on Parker Hill Road.

“Our trail really is a list of locations throughout Ellis County,” O’Brien said. “Some [quilts] have been selected by the owner – they choose the quilt block pattern and paint colors.

“Most have been created by Judy – the bluebonnets and hummingbirds for example – then drawn and painted.”

For those driving along the barn quilt trail in Ellis County or anywhere where the trail is located, it can be likened to a scavenger hunt.

“You typically have a map that shows you the location of them,” O’Brien said.

“You drive through the countryside and enjoy the scenery and then find the barn quilt that you’ve been searching for. Sometimes you’ll meet the owner of the barn quilt and get the history of who painted it and why. “All the owners we’ve met are just thrilled that we have taken the time and interest in ‘finding’ their quilts.”
Even better, it is an activity that can be done 365 days of the year if weather permits.

The Ennis Welcome Center is helping promote the Ellis County Quilt Trail by keeping a listing of the barn quilts that are visible from public roads.