Haywood County Quilt Trails Project

The Quilt Trails projects help communities find and tell their stories. Quilt squares represent a much-loved symbol of comfort, family, heritage, and community. The trails provide new splashes of color alongside major roads and in the rural countryside. Vibrant quilt patterns are painted on pre-built wooden squares ranging from two feet to eight feet in size.

The Haywood County Quilt Trails project is based on similar projects in Ashe, Avery, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga, and Yancey counties in North Carolina, where quilt squares are installed on barns, public buildings, shops, and other appropriate buildings around the community.

The Shelton House, a member of the National Registry of Historical Landmarks, has already begun the process of obtaining its very own painted quilt block, the first in Haywood County. The custom design chosen by the Shelton House blends the traditional patterns of the Arrow, the Milkmaid, and the Star. Each pattern speaks to the history of the Shelton House.

If you have a barn or building that you would like to be on the Haywood County Quilt Trail or if you need more information about the Quilt Trails project in Haywood County, call Kay S. Miller, executive director at the Haywood County Arts Council at 828-452-0593 or send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The first blocks were installed in May 2010. For examples of other Quilt Trails in western North Carolina visit www.quilttrailswnc.org.

Applications are now available for the Haywood County Quilt Trails project. If you would like to inquire about purchasing a quilt block for your barn or building, applications may be requested via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , by calling 828-452-0593, by visiting the Arts Council’s gallery at 86 N. Main Street in Waynesville, or by downloading an application on the Arts Council’s web site at www.haywoodarts.org.