Tours will be led by quilt expert Kathy Kenny and barn expert Don Perkins. Highly-regarded quilt historian, fiber artist, educator, and lecturer Kathy Kenny will share her vast knowledge of vintage quilts and the world of quilting.

Through the displayed vintage quilts, deepen your understanding of the economic role of women and how quilt patterns and styles reflect local, regional, and national events. As the very fabric of rural life, quilts reflect the economy, personal choice, and necessity of life.

If you think quilts are just pretty, decorative coverings, then this part of the tour may change your mind. You’ll end this tour with a new appreciation of quilts, the stories they have to tell, and textile history.

Perkins is an educator, journalist and author of the just published book “Our Barns: A History of Barns in Maine.” Through Perkins we’ll learn about the historic roles of barns in the evolution of farmsteads and how northern New England economics of mixed farming and home-industry created a unique architectural response.

The tour will examine the shifts in barn construction and how those shifts related to the evolving economic challenges and technological changes confronting farmers in the area. The social, cultural and economic lives of those who lived in coastal Northern New England will be further illuminated through an examination of barns and quilts.

At 9 a.m. the event begins with coffee and orientation at Cotton Weeds Quilt Shop on Rt. 1 Southt. After touring the final barn, conclude the afternoon with lively music by acoustic musician Dave Peloquin. There will be a contemporary quilt exhibit, cider and donuts, and a tour of the timber frame barn at the Houses and Barns by John Libby barn on Rt. 136, True Road.

Lunch is brownbag. Bring a folding chair or blanket and eat on a local farm field if weather permits.

Freeport Historic Barns & Quilts Tour is a fundraiser. Tickets are $35 and must be purchased in advance. These can be purchased online at www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org or by check mailed to 45 Main Street, Freeport, ME 04032.

For more information, call 207-865-3170 or email info@freeporthistoricalsociety.org.

Copy the Story Link