WELCOME!

The Appalachian Quilt Trail, modeled after the Adams County, Ohio project, “A Clothesline of Quilts,” consists of a series of quilt sites strung together in Eastern Tennessee, from the Kentucky/West Virginia line to the north, down to the North Carolina line to the south. This series of scenic driving trails, takes the traveler to view vividly painted quilt squares installed on the barns and buildings of participating communities.

In 2005, HandMade was invited to work with the Tennessee organization to extend the Appalachian Quilt Trail into our Western North Carolina counties. It was funding by the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and East Tennessee Community Foundation, through HandMade in America, that made work on the Quilt Trail in our region possible.

Five Western North Carolina arts councils have collaborated with HandMade to create vibrant quilt patterns painted on wooden squares and installed on barns, public buildings and shops, forming a series of self-guided driving trails. This website will direct you along the byways to view these icons of tradition, in their new and significant roles as public art. Remember that each block represents a meaningful story, and as you experience the Quilt Trail, you will be viewing chronicles of local lore and history embedded in these quilt squares spread across our region. And, through your travels along the Quilt Trail, we know you will gain an even greater understanding of why the quilt is an enduring symbol of family, heritage, and community – all of the values upheld by HandMade.

Enjoy!