In 1907 the popular farm magazine “Hearth & Home” inaugurated its States-of-the-Union series of quilt patterns. Readers from around the country were asked to contribute pieced cloth blocks to represent their respective states. The block could be an original design or the senders’ favorite. The readers responded to this request and pictures of the selected block appeared in monthly issues until the series ended in 1912. After the 48-state quilt block series was completed, Hearth & Home began another series called “Outlying Possessions.” This series included blocks from such territories as Alaska and Hawaii.

The Oklahoma Barn Quilt Trail was established in the fall of 2017 as a joint effort with the Blackwell Tourism Development Board, Top of Oklahoma Museum and other boards with many volunteers from the community. The Top of Oklahoma Barn Quilt Trail currently has 62 plus quilts in various locations around Kay County, Blackwell, and out in the country on barns. Each state has a quilt block pattern and several different volunteers helped paint a barn quilt for each of the 50 states as well as featuring important land marks, being exhibited at locations on the trail.

In 2018, Cindy Oard, owner of Wonderfully Made Studio and Diane Braden, who is connected with the Top of Oklahoma Museum, jump started the Top of Oklahoma Barn Quilt Trail Blackwell. The Geocaching Trail was created in 2018 by Cecil Phibbs from Stillwater and Rhonda Cobb to coincide with the Barn Quilt Trail, to be an adventure alongside the 62 barn quilts tour. There are 40 ns fully geocaches in the Blackwell area. Oard designed the Geocache coin which is awarded when a total of 40 geo-caches are accumulated. On one side of the coin “Top of Oklahoma Barn Quilt Trail” is written, the other side is “Oklahoma’s First Geocaching Trail, Blackwell, America’s Hometown.”

Recently at the Blackwell Fair Grounds, previously known as the 4-H/Agriculture Building, barn quilts were designed and painted to resemble entries and animals that can be seen at the Kay County Free Fair. There are currently six in place filling the windowed area, with six more to come soon. These are being painted by the Blackwell Tourism and Development board members.

Classes on quilt making are available at Wonderfully Made Studio. There are approximately 150 pattern designs for you to choose from, or Cindy can work with you to create a custom design. The fee to take the class is for you to make a barn quilt for your personal use, or to make one as a gift. Custom barn quilts completed by Cindy Oard may be requested for a special fee.

Four sizes of wood are offered to choose from: 1’x1’, 16”x16”, 2’x2’, or 4’x4’; many paint colors; and custom paint colors can be mixed. The wood barn quilts may be used inside or outside. All the materials are furnished by the business, including design, wood, tape, paint, sealer, tools, and instructions. Special requests for initials and/or symbols (stencil) require some additional planning and there is a cost for the custom options.

The business is open regular hours and very flexible to accommodate those wishing to have a special class or a group painting party. Typically, it will take a couple days to complete a project. Hours 10:00 Monday thru Friday, come and go. Saturday by appointment. Please know when you take a class with Cindy Oard she will take a picture of your finished product to add to her collection of projects with the business.

Cindy Oard said, “This has been good for our community with the participation, and promotes tourism to our area. Personally I could be retired, however, I enjoy the creative and artistic activities and I love meeting all the people who take the classes and come to Blackwell for the tourism features. I do not have enough room at home for all the artistic toys, so I need the studio location.”

Follow on their Facebook pages Wonderfully Made Studio, Top of Oklahoma Barn Quilt Trail, Top of Oklahoma Museum, and Blackwell Tourism. For more information, a video is featured on Discover Oklahoma YouTube, “Top of Oklahoma Geocaching Barn Quilt Trail,” or go to www.cityofblackwell.com, Eat.Stay.Play, Barn Quilt-Geo Trail or www. cityofblackwell.com/barnquilt-geo-trail. Wonderfully Made Studio, Barn Quilts and More is located at 113 North Main, Blackwell, OK. Phone number 580-670-0432 or email cindyoard@sbcglobal.net for class price information.