Off to a Good Start

We're getting rolling on Quilt Trails of Wexford-Missaukee, but I've been lax in getting the blocks posted as they have been installed.  So it's catch-up time.

HUNSBERGER

The first block on the trail went up on  Grandma Lizzie's Place east of Star City.  The house is on the original Hunsberger homestead, and the home of Lloyd and Elizabeth (Bowman) Hunsberger.  The block is patterned after a quilt possibly made by Lizzie.  The home is now owned by their grandson Frank VanderWal and is now a bed-and-breakfast.

Variation of Ohio Star

WEXFORD COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS

The first block in Wexford County went up at the Wexford County Fairgrounds in Cadillac, MI.  The centerpiece of the fairgrounds is the 1908 Octagonal building, which is used as an exhibit building.
The quilt block is Snail's Trail, a copy of the block on Donna Sue Groves' barn.  She is the person behind the quilt trail movement, which began in 2001.

Snail's Trail

CALKINS

Next was a block which is actually in northern Osceola County, close to Wexford, on a centennial farm owned by the Calkins brothers. Here is what they say about the property:
"The Calkins Centennial Farm has been in the family since Henry and Malvina Calkins purchased the NE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 15 in Sherman Township, Osceola County in 1881 from the Salt Company/Railroad which got every other section out 12 miles from the government for building a railroad through Tustin.  Henry died there in 1908 and Malvina in 1939 and it passed to their son Lee.  Lee had it until 1966 when he died and his brother Louis's daughter Ada obtained it.  Ada's brother Jim's sons Keith and Fred got it in 1993 before Ada died and have been maintaining and improving it ever since."
The brothers designed the block and color layout.  I am again quoting what they said about that:
"Keith and Fred have had a life-long interest in mathematics, especially recreational mathematics.  Pentominoes are sometimes called planar five animals and are made up of all possible arrangements of five unit squared joined on an edge.  The 12 possibilities are often referred to as FILNP TUVWXYZ.   Five times 12 is 60 so an 8' by 8' square having 64 squares can contain them.  The arrangement used in this quilt block highlights Malvina Lucy Thompson Calkins' initials MLC with the T close by (using the W as an M and the U as a C).  The colors used highlight some of her favorite flowers, plants, and colors from around the farm:  Golden Glow/Golden Rod, Corn Flower, Lilac (both lavender and white), Sweet Pea/Rose, Woodbine, Potato Leaf Green, Iris/Orange Hawkweed, Brown-Eyed Susan, etc."

Pentomino Block

NORMAN

Next we moved over to Missaukee County for two blocks on the Larry and Shelby Norman barns.  Located at the hub of the former Star City community which was established about 1900.  The only building remaining of the original community is the old Methodist Church building which sits on the Hunsberger farm across the road.
The 8' x 8' block on the large barn was renamed "Star City" by Shelby to connect it to the past.

Star City

The Normans raise Suffolk sheep, and have another barn, so they chose to put a 4' x 4' block on that barn.  I haven't gotten back over there to photograph the block on the barn yet, so this is the Electric Quilt file I used as the starting point.

 It took a while, but I finally have pictures of the actual block on the barn. 

Sheep Fold

 MISSAUKEE AGRICULTURAL YOUTH SHOW

 The Missaukee Agricultural Youth Show in Falmouth is home to this stunning block which if you look closely at the border, incorporates four H's, reflecting the active 4-H clubs in this mostly agricultural area.  The Show board did not want to remove the sign on the front of the building for the quilt block, so they devised a frame so that it could be free-standing.

4-H Star

HALSEY

Debbie Halsey is not a quilter, but she has a quilt made for her by a friend, and she wanted to use that for their quilt block.  The Halseys raise sheep and produce which they sell at farmers' markets in the summer.

We tried as best we could to replicate the colors in this block of the quilt,which is a true "scrap" quilt of many different fabrics.

"My Stars" a "54-40 Or Fight" variation

McGEE

Jack McGee is a retired builder.  His business sign was due to be "retired" as well, and the frame was the perfect location for this 4' x 4' two-sided block.  The Log Cabin design was chosen to represent his trade, and is a favorite of his wife Jeri.

Log Cabin

Great Lakes Log Cabin

MISSAUKEE CONSERVATION DISTRICT

This Starry Path block adorns the building which is home to Missaukee Conservation District, Michigan State University Extension, and the District #10 Health Department.  The colors reflect each of these entities.  Green represents MSUE, brown is for soil, blue is for sky and water , representing Missaukee Conservation District, and yellow and blue are the Health Department colors.

Starry Path

 

I hope you've enjoyed this little trip through our new quilt trail.  Look for more blocks in the future.