Interlake Barn Quilt Trail (Link to Barn Quilt Trail – All Locations)
In 2014, quilters Donna Kerns and Janice Skene were chatting about the beautiful barn quilts they had seen on travels through the United States and how exciting it would be to create a barn quilt trail right here at home. A project was born and the Interlake Barn Quilt Trail Committee was developed: Janice, Donna, Bonnie Dykes, and Lenore Olafson. Spearheaded by the Arborg Ag Society, and with the encouragement and most-appreciated assistance from Gail McDonald of the Interlake Tourism Association, the then Committee applied for and received a grant from Manitoba Tourism, Culture, Heritage, Sport and Consumer Protection. (Pictured Left to Right: Isabel Napp, Bonnie Dykes, Janice Skene, Donna Kerns – Missing: Lenore Olafson)
And the painting began. Arborg Co-op generously provided space for the painting which allowed us to set up and leave the paintings until they were complete. Committed to seven barn quilts to begin the trail in 2015, Janice, Donna, Bonnie and fellow quilter, Isabel Napp, completed the painting over the course of several sessions in June and July. Three other registered barn quilts were being created elsewhere, one had been completed in 2012, and three others in earlier years. By the end of the year, the Trail was boasting 21 barn quilts!
The first official barn quilt of the Trail was unveiled at the Arborg and District Multicultural Heritage Village at the Chapil barn in 2015. We are excited to say that as of July 2021, we have 59 barn quilts on the Trail, and more are in the works!
Together we will decorate the Interlake with beautiful quilt block replicas that celebrate Interlake culture, heritage, communities, art, agriculture, and tourism!
You pick it, you paint it…
The Interlake Barn Quilt Trail was fortunate to receive funding through grants from Manitoba Sport, Culture, and Heritage from 2015 to 2017; however, the grants are no longer available to us.
We encourage you to still consider joining the IBQT. Once you have selected your quilt design, painted, and mounted the quilt, please forward a photo of the finished quilt, along with the Application and Registration form. We will then be able to feature your barn quilt on the IBQT page.
Do you live in the Interlake and would you like to have a barn quilt?
- More Info on the IBQT – Phone: (204) 322-5378 or Email: admin@interlaketourism.com
- Purchasing, Viewing, or Creating Barn Quilts – Karen Debraga, Phone: 204-228-0322 or Email: karen2@live.ca
- Purchasing, Viewing or Creating Barn Quilts – Wendy Church, Phone: 204-785-0921, or Email wchurch@hotmail.ca
