Decorating With a Barn Quilt and Adorondack Chairs

Upon taking a barn quilt class at Rocori Senior Center in Cold Spring this fall, I became interested in the history of these decorative squares of wood on buildings that is gaining popularity in Central Minnesota.  I see them in the area on houses, garages, sheds and other out-buildings. I now have one attached to my own house. They remind me of the ancient and beautiful hex signs on barns.

Hex signs have adorned American countryside barns since the beginning of colonization. They were usually geometric designs, often featuring some type of star. They came in a multitude of designs, sizes, shapes, and colors, although most had a circular border. They looked like giant eyes watching over the farm from a vantage point on the upper front of old wooden barns.

They can be seen on a few barns in Central Minnesota, but they originated in Pennsylvania, where they are a symbol of Pennsylvania-Dutch farmers. History tells us they were brought from the Rhineland to America by Mennonite and other German farmers in the 17th century.

Painted prayers

Some believe that both the Pennsylvania German barn and hex designs originated with the Alpine Germans. Lee R. Gandee, in his book "Strange Experience, Autobiography of a Hexenmeister," described hex signs as "painted prayers" but, he notes, that hexes are of pre-Christian Germanic origin; for instance, a circled rosette is called the Sun of the Alps in Padania (Po Valley). Based on this history, Neopagans or Germanic heathens took up the practice of creating hex signs, incorporating other pre-Christian signs and symbols into the hex work.

The markings, colors, and designs on hex signs are believed by many to protect the barns and the animals housed inside from fire, lightning, sickness and the work of evil spirits, demons and witchcraft. They might augment fertility of livestock or encourage the right balance of sun and rain for success with crops.

Archaeological studies reveal hex signs were found in ancient caves carved by prehistoric peoples, and that they, perhaps, depict the sun wheel that early people are said to have worshiped. Circles and stars are predominant geometric designs, symbolizing divinity and the circle of life.

Meanings and beliefs

Hex signs typically have bright colors and engaging designs, adding a pleasing visual display to farm buildings. Elmer L. Smith, in "Hex Signs and Other Barn Decorations," documented a few of what he believes are the ancient markings of hex signs: the four-pointed star signifies good luck, five points protect the barn from lightning, six points signify love and marriage, eight points fertility and a sixteen-pointed star was sure to bring prosperity to a farm.

An animal inserted in the center of a star protects that animal from disease. Stars signify celestial bodies visible at night. The circular border is sometimes associated with infinity and long life.

Colors, too, have significance: Blue conveys protection, green abundance, red strength, white symbolized purity. An enterprising contemporary hex artist, called a hexologist, could combine any number of symbols on a hex sign for a potential buyer.

Experts do not all agree on the significance or meanings of hex signs, however. Alfred A. Shoemaker, a Pennsylvania folklorist, discounts any mystic or symbolic significance. He says they are "pure and simple decoration motifs," adding that, "a farmer would not parade his mysterious doings before all the world to see." He says any association of hex signs with evil spirits is myth. He says farmers do not often speak of hex signs as hexeri. Instead, like their ancestors, they are fond of saying the signs are "chust for pretty."

In Central Minnesota

When paint became less expensive, a door opened to more farmers incorporating hex signs into their farm décor. By the 1950s, commercialized hex signs, aimed at the tourist market, became popular and meanings were often changed to accommodate the buyers.

If a Central Minnesota farmer buying a hex sign today believes in hexeri, by combining specific colors and symbols, he or she can be assured of a perfect marriage, protection from lightning or disease, much good luck, many plentiful harvests, or whatever he or she feels strongly about. It all depends on the design and ornamentation on the hex sign — or they, too, can go around telling friends the hex sign is "chust for pretty."

Other speculations suggest that the name "hex" may have originated from the German word for six, which is "sechs." Or, it could have come from the German word "hexafoo," which means "witch's foot." Anyway, the combination of folk magic and symbolism has a strong influence on hex signs.

A door opened

Today's hex signs often feature a great variety of symbols including birds and flowers and are often selected for their eye appeal and meanings and by the buyer's imagination and/or information. As in olden days, pomegranates on their hex sign, would symbolize fertility, small birds known as distelfinks symbolize luck and happiness, eagles stand for strength, hearts symbolize love, stars bring good luck, and tulips symbolize faith. Oak leaves and acorns bring strength and rosettes can mean protection from famine.

A common "welcome" hex sign often features a large red heart in the center with tulips encircling the heart. The tree of life usually includes a large tree as the focal point of the sign. Additional features may include stars, hearts, and tulips either on the leaves or circling around the tree. A house hex sign might feature birds, a star, or leaves to symbolize good luck. It has all become very befuddling!

Barn quilts

The original meanings may have gone by the wayside in recent years, but a similar fad has evolved — reminiscent of the hex signs — barn quilts.

In the early 2000s, a barn decorating revival in the form of "barn quilts," started showing up. Their geometric patterns resemble those on the old hex signs.

A barn quilt is a large piece of wood painted to look like a quilt block. Because quilters love their quilts, they like to show them off wherever they can! Although they look lovely on beds, lying on the couch, tossed over the back of a chair, or spread across a wall, on a building, they speak volumes.

Though the name implies that an entire quilt is painted onto the wood, it generally is only a single square block. The size of the square varies. After they are painted, these blocks are hung on the exterior of a barn, house, garage, or other building.

The majority of barn quilts are comprised of simple geometric shapes, like squares, rectangles and triangles. This makes them easier to create. They usually are painted in solid colors, though every now and then, you'll come across one that has been painted to look like printed fabric. The simplicity in shape and the vibrancy of solid colors makes these blocks easily seen from afar. If they are too complicated, the details can be lost.

Barn quilt history

Just as hex signs and fabric quilts have their own unique history, so do barn quilts. They began as a decorating revival with a woman named Donna Sue Groves from Adams County, Ohio. She wished to honor her mother by hanging a painted quilt block on her barn. Instead of just one square on her barn, she began a community project with neighbors and friends and came up with 20 quilts being displayed along a driving trail. It was the start of the quilt trail mania in America. They are being organized across the country.

Quilt trails consist merely of many barn quilts mapped together by location to be visited and photographed. Many viewers love to drive through the countryside to see the blocks. Those following along the trail receive a map with all the locations marked. A wide variety of people have created them, including quilt guilds, schools, churches, and 4-H clubs.

Hex signs began as symbols to ward off evil. Barn quilts began as an art form derived from that ancient practice with the symbolism, "chust for pretty."

Classes like the one I took with my friends are offered through a number of schools and area adult-education programs. A person driving through Central Minnesota may not find a map listing a barn quilt trail but there are many in the area. In St. Joe, I have one on my house. Down the street, Marv and Ileen Schmitt have two, one on their garage and another on a small shed. Geri Schwab has one on her barn; LeRoy and Lois Warnert have a very unique one on Lois' quilt shed; Delrose Fischer made one but hasn't hung it yet. Betty Schloemer has one in her quilt room in the house.

I've seen others in Cold Spring, Farming, and Richmond. Keep your eyes open, you may see more — or perhaps a hex sign.

This column is the opinion of Marilyn Salzl Brinkman. Write to her at Brinkman1943@gmail.com or the St. Cloud Times, P.O. Box 768, St. Cloud, MN 56302.

Decorating With a Barn Quilt and Adorondack Chairs

Source: https://www.sctimes.com/story/life/2018/01/20/hex-signs-barn-quilts/1042257001/

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