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Home/Featured/Louisiana Quilt Trail
colorful square quilt block outside window of florist

Louisiana Quilt Trail

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.

painted square quilt block of train and strawberries on Louisiana Quilt Trail
An oncoming train, strawberries and a flag on a quilt block at Ponchatoula City Hall

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.”

colorful painted quilt block on outside of brown brick home
Quilt block on the home of Yvonne Felder in Ponchatoula

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.”

red white and blue quilt with american flag and eagle
Yvonne Felder’s patriotic quilt
purple and gray squares on quilt on bed with purple drapes and blue bedroom wall
A contemporary quilt design created by Yvonne Felder

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.

colorful quilt block with animal and tomato figures
Jim Hulsey’s quilt block tells his family story with a Marine’s dress blues, cattle, cats and tomatoes

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.

purple feet and pet dog in shape of flower in quilt block
Purple feet, the family dog and doctor’s tools in the shape of a flower
the pharmacists' tools in a pink and lavender quilt block
Can you find all of the symbols of a pharmacy in this quilt block?
multi colored quilt block in shape of old building's windows
Quilt block imitates design of old building in downtown Ponchatoula
red gold blue design with catfish, alligator and crabs
Catfish, crabs and alligators on quilt block at Middendorf’s Restaurant in Manchac, LA

louisiana quilt trail featured on Tv

Watch this Heart of Louisiana feature on the Quilt Trail

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.

More northshore fun

Old Collinswood School Museum in Ponchatoula, Louisiana

One Room School

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      Tchefuncte River

        Written by:
        Dave McNamara
        Published on:
        November 16, 2022
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        Categories: Featured, Northshore

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