Two More Barns from Glen's Recent Trip

In Glen's words:

"Here are two barns.

I believe they were located 

in the village of Liepvre France."

"Liepvre began as a monastery in the 8th Century 

through a monk called Bobolinus.  

King Charlemagne talked about it in 774."

Glen Shares a German Barn

SSOBB Charter Member Glenda Parks and her husband

have just returned from a trip to Europe.

At one point she texted me this photo

with a simple caption ...

German Barn!

You can read more about their adventures on her blog.

Her first trip-related post is HERE.

Thanks, Glen - Barns are awesome all around the world!

One VERY Special Group of Quilters

Brenda S (L) and Valerie L (R) 2018

Of all the good things that have come from

the publication of BUILD A BARN,

the friendships that grew up amongst 

the charter members of the

Secret Society of Barn Builders

is the one that warms my heart the most.

We are an international group

with quilt makers in Germany,

Canada, and all across the US.

None of us live anywhere near each other

which makes what I'm about to share

even more special and amazing.

* * *

This past month, Brenda Suderman 

and her husband traveled/camped

nearly half-way across Canada

to visit Valerie in Nova Scotia.

I absolutely love the photo above showing Brenda and Valerie

 together with two of their SSOBB Gallery Quilts.

Valerie (L) and Glen P. (R) 2017

Last year Glen traveled from Louisiana

 to visit Valerie in Nova Scotia.

(They live roughly 1,800 miles away from each other)

Lynne's Liberated Bird Class in St. Louis 2013
Julie S. and Cherie M. back row / Lynne front row right with Millie

Lynne Tyler has met up with several of us 

including yours truly, Cherie Moore, and Chris Ballard.

Debbie (R) with her mom (L) during Lynne's class at Quilted Threads

Lynne has also met Debbie Voigt,

who drove from NC to NH 

to take a liberated birds class with Lynne.

Lynne with Kathy French - November 2016

Lynne traveled about 200 miles each way

to spend a weekend with Kathy French

not long before Kathy learned she had lung cancer.

Salem Stitcher (L) with Nancy (R) and Debbie (front) - Asheville, 2011

Debbie Voigt and Nancy Stevens 

have met up with each other

even though they live several states apart.

Julie Post with The Seasonal Sampler at AQS Des Moines

And Julie Post (Iowa) and Brenda Suderman (Canada)

had planned to meet at AQS Des Moines 

to see the Special Exhibit of SSOBB Gallery Quilts,

but ended up missing each other by a day.

L to R:  Lynn Harris, Heidi B, Cherie M, Julie S.
Chattanooga 2016

Cherie Moore (Illinois), Heidi from Germany 

and I met up with each other

during a liberated quilt making class

during AQS Chattanooga 2016

where our instructor was Lynn Harris 

who took some of the photos used in the book.

Julie S (L) and Brenda S (R)

I met up with Brenda S.

during AQS Grand Rapids 2013.

Julie (L) and Debbie (R) - 2017

I met up with Debbie V.

at the Folk School last year

after being online friends for many years.

Julie and Chris shown here with Lynne's newly-quilted
Letters From Home that was published in Word Play Quilts.

I've spent hours and hours with Chris B.

since she quilted almost all of my quilts

for the first many years of my quilty-life.

And there are plans afoot for me to meet up with 

Nancy Stevens in Nashville next year 

during Quilt Con 2019.

Collaborative quilt made by the SSOBB for Glen 2016

Best of all, the correspondence that flew amongst us

during the creation of BUILD A BARN continues

as we have supported each other through

the death of Hilda's husband, 

the flooding of Glen's house,

 Hilda's breast cancer and Kathy's terminal lung cancer,

serious illness of various family members,

retirements, the deaths of parents,

 the births of several grandchildren,

and for so many other reasons.

I don't know about the gallery quilt makers 

who have been part of other books,

but I am thrilled to be a part of THIS group!

Blog Hop Week Five Featuring Glen Parks

Cajun Camp by Glen Parks

Week Five of the SSOBB Blog Hop is nearing an end.

Our featured SSOBB Charter Member this week has been . . . 

GLEN PARKS of Louisiana.

Glen has shared three biog hop posts

and a chance to win an autographed copy of BUILD A BARN.

Post ONE is HERE

Post TWO is HERE

Post THREE is HERE

The photos in this post come from her third post -

you really need to go read all about the real cajun camps

behind this new work inspired by BUILD A BARN.

Cajun Camp by Glen Parks

As a reminder --

The SSOBB Blog Hop is a 12-week series 

focusing on the SSOBB Charter Members.

The Blog Hop is intended to give each of them 

a chance to share their stories,

whether it involves the making of their Gallery quilts,

sharing their perspective on being part of

 the Secret Society of Barn Builders,

or sharing new free pieced work they're stitching --

this blog hop is all about recognizing their contributions to

BUILD A BARN and The Free Pieced Barn Project.

The Free Pieced Barn Project 

began in 2012 with the creation of See Rock City.

It continued with a book proposal and publishing offer 

that became BUILD A BARN:  No Pattern Construction.

The book includes an external gallery

of incredible free pieced barn quilts

created by the Charter Members of the 

Secret Society of Barn Builders (aka the SSOBB)

showcased here on the book's blog.

Look for the page tabs for the SSOBB,

and then for the tabs with each Charter Member's name.

SO many different kinds of barns!

Cajun Camp by Glen Parks

And in case you missed our VERY BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

The Free Pieced Barn Project 

will continue this fall 

with three public exhibitions of 

the SSOBB gallery of quilts --

first as a Special Exhibit at AQS Chattanooga,

(September 14-15-16-17, 2016)

next as a Special Exhibit at AQS Des Moines,

(October  5-6-7-8, 2016)

and finally at the annual Davies Manor Quilt Show in Memphis.

(November 4-5-6, 2016)

Links and more event details will be shared

just as soon as they are available.

* * *

In the meantime, 

please enjoy Glen's posts

and be sure to visit the Gallery pages

here at the BUILD A BARN blog.

Cajun Camp - An "Inspired By" Project

Check out the "inspired by BUILD A BARN" project 

SSOBB Charter Member Glen is creating.

Her photo above does not feature a barn . . . 

Glen built this duck blind as part of her

new Cajun Camp project.

There are several posts on her blog

about other parts of the camp,

so  you'll want to scroll through 

and look for those when you visit.

From Louisiana to New Zealand and Beyond

Photo by Maureen Heywood

Books sent off to the UK and Germany

have arrived safely.

There are two on their way to Canada,

but it seems they've been sent via 

super-slow snail mail

as they've not yet arrived.

As mentioned in the post title,

here are two blog posts 

from very different parts of the world:

Barns and Gypsies from Maureen Heywood of Mystic Quilter 

and 

Build a Barn - No Pattern Construction from Glen Parks of Quilts and Dogs

* * *

I love that there are barn lovers all around the world!

* * *

I have another special story that I want to share -

hopefully on Sunday.

See you then!

Quiltdivajulie

Another Participation in SSOBB Post to Share

Photo of DiNozzo by Glen ("Quiltswissy") Parks

Here's another post from one of the SSOBB Charter Members 

Introducing . . . 

GLENDA  PARK - Secrets

* * *

Only 26 more days until Book Release Day!