The driving tour of the Louisiana Quilt Trail takes you to homes and businesses that display colorful painted quilt blocks. But a closer look at the blocks provides an imaginative glimpse of the hobbies and passions of a family or business.
The Louisiana Quilt Trail began in Tangipahoa Parish a decade ago. Now, the trail spreads across a 5-parish area of southeastern Louisiana. More than 150 homes and businesses have joined the art movement. The first quilt trail was created in Ohio. Now the colorful yard art has spread to nearly every state in the country. “It’s the fastest growing grassroots art movement in the country,” explains Kim Zabbia. She is an art instructor, the wife of Ponchatoula’s mayor, and a huge promoter of the Louisiana Quilt Trail. And Zabbia believes that quilt trails are a big tourist draw. She tells me, “It’s kind of like going to every state to the highest peak in that state.”
A REAL QUILTER ALONG THE LOUISIANA TRAIL
The seven multi-colored diamonds on a quilt block on Yvonne Felder’s Ponchatoula home represent her seven children. Unlike most of the families that display the quilt blocks, Felder is a long-time quilter. She showed me a red, white and blue patriotic quilt and another that matched the purple decor of a bedroom. “I’ve always enjoyed sewing, Felder says, “and the quilts just sort of came naturally.”
FAMILY STORIES ALONG THE LOUISIANA QUILT TRAIL
I also visited the home of Jim Hulsey. He explained the design on his painted quilt block. He raises cattle, so the corners of the four-by-four-foot square have cattle heads. And since his wife has cats, the feline is also featured prominently in the design. You can also find tomatoes from his garden and the colors of a Marine’s dress blue uniform. He’s a Marine Corps veteran.
many of the quilt blocks feature businesses
Businesses also tell their stories in custom quilt blocks. The signs do not contain company logos. We stop by the office of a podiatrist who displays a quilt block with purple feet and the family pet that form a colorful, sweet-smelling flower. The humor is part of the fun.
louisiana quilt trail featured on Tv
Start your journey along the Louisiana Quilt Trail in the city of Ponchatoula. Trail maps are available at area tourism offices. Or find locations online at the Trail’s website.
Ponchatoula, LA
Robert
Isn’t there more to Louisiana than its southwestern and southeastern (heel and toe) areas? Surely there is, particularly if you occasionally focus also on the northeastern, central, and northwestern areas. Try to be a little more diverse. Overall, Louisiana is more than just Shreveport, Monroe, Alexandria, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. I have visited each of the cities except Lake Charles and grew up in Caddo Parish. I love all of the cities I listed even the one that I have not visited, primarily because of the friendships formed when we all interacted in college at what was noted by some to be largest HBCU institution ( 1960 – 1980). There are bayous with alligators there too.