Guidelines

GUIDELINES FOR CREATING YOUR BARN QUILT

Thank you for your interest in being part of the Hammond Barn Quilt Trail (HBQT)!

            We offer the following guidelines for creating your barn quilt to ensure the finished product will be beautiful and long lasting, and that the quality of the barn quilts will be consistent along our community’s barn quilt trail.

            There are lots of choices to be made between Stage One – “I really want a barn quilt for my barn/business!” and the Final Stage – “Yay! This barn quilt looks so great on my barn/building!” The HBQT Committee is available to help at any stage, so please contact us. Contact info can be found at the end of these guidelines.

Size of Barn Quilt Square

The official Hammond Barn Quilt Trail will include only two sizes of quilt squares, 4’x4′ and 8’x8′. These may be mounted either “square” (parallel with the ground) or “on pointe”, which gives a diamond shaped look to the mounting.

We recommend purchasing all your materials locally. Morristown Fuel & Supply carries all these supplies and is the HBQT’s official materials’ provider. Be sure to mention the Barn Quilt Trail and receive a discount on your supplies. Thank you for supporting our local businesses!

Materials Needed to create a 4’x4′ or 8’x8′ Barn Quilt

1. 1/2” 4’x8′ MDO plywood (sign quality).

You need two sheets for an 8’x8′ square and only half a sheet for the 4’x4′ square. If you are contemplating a 4’x4′ square, please check with the committee as we may be able to connect you with another potential barn quilt owner who also needs only half a sheet.

2. Very good quality primer and paint.

We recommend Benjamin Moore primer and paint for their superb and long lasting quality.

Primer: Benjamin Moore Fresh Start Multi Purpose Latex Primer (023)

Paint: Benjamin Moore Aura Waterborne Exterior Paint – Low Lustre Finish (634)

Quantity of paint needed will vary with the size of the square and the type of board and design chosen. Please feel free to consult with the HBQT Committee with any questions.

3. Frog Tape.

This is a particular brand of painter’s tape which works very well with latex paint.

Some Members of Hammond’s Barn Quilt Trail Committee

CREATING YOUR BARN QUILT:

You will need a painting area that is dry and dust free for painting, as well as sawhorses or a large table top on which to lay your board.

Preparing the board:

MDO board: Sand any rough edges, then apply 2 coats of primer on the back of the board and 3 coats on the front and edges.

Design, Size & Color:

Choose a design that appeals to you and/or has particular meaning for your family, business or location. There are many possible quilt designs already available, or you can design your own. You can also find resources on the internet – designs, how-tos, computer programs. The HBQT committee is available to assist with both design and color choice.

Once you have chosen the design, enlarge the quilt pattern using graph paper or another preferred method to scale, remembering to leave a border on all sides if you desire one. Then draw the pattern on the primed board(s) using a pencil and measuring devices.

IMPORTANT: If you are making an 8’x8′ square, it is imperative that you draw your design so that the two 4’x8′ boards match exactly along the center! You can do this one of two ways:

1. Clamp the two boards together while drawing the design, then separate for painting.
2. Draw half the design on one board, then clamp the two boards together to mark the center         points on the second board, then separate to finish the pencil design on board #2.

Either way, check and recheck to make sure the centers match exactly prior to painting.

Painting:

Using the frog tape, outline the areas that will receive the lightest paint color and press the tape firmly to ensure a good seal. Use a razor blade or craft knife to cut definite angles in the tape. To help designate which areas receive which color, you can place corresponding colored self-stick notes in those areas, very helpful with a pattern using multiple colors.

Paint the areas with the lightest color first, applying at least 3 coats of color before moving on to the next lightest color. Allow each coat to dry thoroughly. Some lighter colors may need 3 – 4 coats. Keep going until your whole design is painted with at least 3 coats of color.

Lastly, if you are using a border, paint the border with your chosen color, including the 1/2” edges on all four sides of the board. Again, apply at least 3 coats of paint.

Do not put a sealer or varnish on the barn quilt. Varnish will turn the colors yellow, and a sealer of any kind will prevent retouching, which you may want to do at some point.

Mounting:

Mounting the barn quilt is not included in this guideline. Please contact us if you have questions regarding mounting your completed barn quilt.

Contact Information:

Lisa Sarfaty ~ 203-627-3014 ~ HammondBarnQuiltTrail@gmail.com