El Barn Quilts

Please get in touch with me if you have any questions or want to get your order placed!
Here are a few examples of some custom work I have done the past few years.

Here are some of the stock pieces that I brought back with me from the Badger Steam and Gas show. They’re all listed on my website and available for sale. I will be adding more as I finish what I wasn’t able to finish, and I will post those as they are complete.

Two more orders are done! The first is a 6’ that I delivered to Manitowoc last Wednesday, and the other is for a local conservation board. They asked me to make signs for the farms that are members. So last Tuesday, I went to an event to talk with neighboring farms about these signs, and some places ordered them! I am so glad I have this opportunity!!

A bunch more Barn Quilts have left the shop! 

Let the crazy begin! Last week, I started my prep for the Badger Steam and Gas Show in Baraboo, WI. This show is August 16-18. My goal is to take 100 barn quilts of various sizes. This is just the start.
4’-6
3’-18
30”-2
2’- 20
Almost all of these are set up and primed with the chosen designs. Now, today, Goal is to draw them all out and get the first color on!

The latest to leave the shop. The porch leader is a first with many more to come!

It has been a busy past few weeks. This is just the start of what I have been working on.

This barn quilt has been an enormous accomplishment! This is the first 9’x9’ I have done! I drove this EL Barn Quilt original almost 350 miles to Farmington, MN. That is the furthest I have gone to deliver a barn quilt.
It was a long 10-hour drive, but it was so worth it! So, if you have ever wanted a barn quilt, let me know! I am willing to deliver within 400 miles of me! (there is a cost per mile depending on size)

The latest to leave the shop. This was so much fun to make because I have never done one like this before! 36”x72”

The latest few barn quilts.

Update the new leadtime for a custom barn quilt is 9 to 12 weeks. Everyone’s keeping me very busy with all the new orders that I’ve been coming in. Stay tuned for some amazing barn quilts to be coming out of the shop in the next few weeks.

The eagle is a EL Barn Quilts original, copyright pending.

What a week this has been! Started out the week with one of the busiest weeks. But life had different plans! I ended up getting sick Monday night, which then had me down and out for three full days. (I have never slept so much in my life!) Before I got sick I did deliver the sign it is for a local farmer who has a farm stand. The second one I made for our butcher shop. I had started it on Tuesday and finished it today and we got it hung today as well. I’m glad to say I’m on the mend, even though I do not sound like I am feeling better at all. Hopefully next week goes better. I hope everyone has an amazing Easter weekend!

This barn quilt was returned to me by a customer who no longer wanted it so I will be posting it on my website it is available. It is a 3‘ x 3‘

This beauty is for sale, along with all of my other stock pieces. Stock pieces are a great present because they are already painted and can arrive within a week of ordering!
visit my website to see what stock pieces I have available!
Elbarnquilts.com

A few weeks ago, I got an exciting phone call from a reporter at Dairy Star. At first, I was unsure what they were calling about because I thought they were calling about my other business, but they were calling because they wanted to interview me about my barn quilts. I was so excited and immediately said yes, this is the beautiful article they wrote about me and what I have accomplished so far in my career as a barn quilter!
This article reminded me that all the hard work I’ve put in so far into making this business what it is is paying off. I’ve posted on here before that not every day is butterflies and roses, and being a business owner is hard work, and to get an article like this published about me in such a national newspaper makes me so happy!

I realize I haven’t posted any barn quilts yet this year, even though I’ve been so busy!
So this is what I have been working on. I did my first ever 3-D barn quilt. I hand cut the K out of MDO and then hand painted the woodgrain on there
I also have been making a lot of loons. I have an extra 2‘ x 2‘ foot if anyone is interested in one I got a little paint happy when I was making them and didn’t realize that I had painted an extra one!
I also have been busy making signs for the new business. I started with my family.

I am selling MDO again. If you need any please let me know. I have 12”x12” available.

https://elbqpatternshq.etsy.com

My recap for 2023… it's a long one!
This year was a year of growth and learning. I worked harder this year than I have any other year. I am so proud of what I accomplished this year, and the risks that I took paid off. This year, I made 200 Barn quilts. I would not have accomplished what I did without the support of my friends and family. They were all willing to help set up shows with me, help me paint, and help me package barn quilts for shipping. But most of all, they are just there when I need them. I also want to thank all of my customers; when I made my first barn quilt in 2014, I did not think this was what would happen.
As I am coming up on my 10th anniversary, I want to reflect on some of the best parts of this business. The first is making art for everyone to enjoy. This is simple, but most people don't get to say that thousands of people look at your art every day. Another is that I have shipped to 45 starts throughout the USA! The five states I have left are Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. The last thing is that I get to do what I love! There are some days that I don't love it as much as others, but I love what I do at the end of the day! Every barn quilt I make has some meaning to the customer who chooses it, and that means so much to me when I hear the stories as to why they choose the design and colors they do—this year had some that I am proud of and want to share again.

The Cows: this barn quilt started in 2022; I was unsure I could paint it, so I put it off. I loved every second when I finally started it and realized I could do it. It was an actual labor of love. I spent over 100 hours hand-painting the details on the cows and doing the border and landscape.

The 8'x12' Eagle: this is the biggest barn quilt I have made and the 600th barn quilt I have made. This is hanging on my family farm and was designed by my dad and me.

The 8' hanging on my shop: this is the 1st barn quilt I made. We had to take it down when we resided in the barn, and I asked if it could go into my shop.

All of the barn quilts I made for an art Galley in Door County, I never thought a barn quilt would be in an art gallery, but here we are; I have 8!

I did so many more barn quilts this year, and a few of my favorites are added below.

My goals for 2024:
1. Try to ship to 3 of the 5 remaining states. (Louisiana, New Jersey, and Rhode Island)
2. Make another handpainted mural-type barn quilt
3. Not take every order just to get an order
4. Come up with another EL Barn Quilts Original design

It is only fair that I share some of the hard parts of owning a business; it is not easy, and I don't want to make it seem like it is. Some of the struggles I faced this year started early on. I was not getting many orders from January- to March, so I was worried about how this year was going to play out if the order did not pick up. So when the opportunity to apply for Farm Technology Days (a huge farm show in Wisconsin) came to me, I was scared. The booth fee was the most I would ever spend on a show, and there was no guarantee I would sell a single thing. It took me a lot of time to plan if I was willing to take that large risk and risk losing thousands if I didn't work. I also made 75 barn quilts to take to this show, ranging from 24" to 8'x12'. It did teach me that even though something is scary and you feel like throwing up when you think about it if you persevere and give it your all, it might all work out.
But there is more!
I was struggling to source the wood I use to make all of my barn quilts, and I placed a bulk order for the first time. The order was for 30 sheets, and I was worried about buying that many sheets at once due to the upfront cost. But I like that I don't have to drive the state looking for wood anymore!
I also had some tools stolen from my shop, so replacing them was an unexpected expense, and I learned a good lesson. Because I then installed a security system on the property.
This year, I struggled towards the end. I got 34 orders between the end of Oct and my Nov 13th cut-off for Christmas orders. This is by far the most I have ever had. But with this great success came a lot of stress. I was pushing myself and trying to get everything done by working until 2-3 in the morning most days. This took a toll on my body, and I ended up getting sick. So, for the last two weeks of getting orders done, I was extremely sick and miserable. I then dealt with clients who were not always nice or willing to be patient, which added a new level of frustration. By the end, I was so tired and defeated that I wanted to quit making barn quilts because it was no longer fun. But then I took two full weeks off, feeling so much better. I gave this next year some thoughts on how I want to plan differently from last year.

So, for 2024, here is what is changing. (based on things that happened this year that I don't want repeated)

1. Lead time is automatically 6-8 Weeks; it can be lengthened as I see fit, and there are no rush orders.
2. No Christmas orders; if you want your barn quilt by Christmas, order 8 weeks early!
3. I will not take every order that comes through; if the order is something that I don't think I can execute the way you would like it, or if it is something I don't want to do, I will not take it.
4. I will not paint a barn quilt on wood that the customer provides.
5. If you are coming to pick it up and your barn quilt does not fit, I will deliver it for a fee per mile. I drive to deliver your barn quilt; the fee is $2.00 per mile.
6. Suppose you set up a pickup time and are more than 30 minutes late without communicating with me. In that case, you must schedule another pickup time.
7. I will not do any custom colors. They have to be from the Sherwin Wiliams Paint Wall.

Again, thank everyone who made this year possible and for their continued support. I genuinely do love what I do and will be back painting on Monday!

More barn quilt done!! There are 34 more that will be done the week and shipped in time for Christmas!

So many barn quilts have left the shop in the past weeks!! Here are the latest with lots more to come!

The count down in on! Get your orders in if you want a barn quilt to give as a present for Christmas. You have until tomorrow night!

I am so excited to share that I am going to be in an art gallery in Door County WI!! I got an email that they wanted 8 barn quilt to display outside and inside the gallery. I was so excited to do this project because they wanted me to take charge. They wanted 4 3’ and 4 2’. They wanted two of the eagles so I did my original and then the new one, 2 cardinals and 2 waving flags and then 2 love blossoms but they wanted colors of flowers. I am so proud of these barn quilts! I didn’t get pictures of them all but the cardinals, and flags don’t change.

So glad to get these 8 done because now I have room of all of the Christmas orders. Which are still on sale until the 13th!!

Two more 4’ barn quilt done and I was asked to make 4 double sided signs for a local conservation group. They are a group of farmers that work together to protect the local Madison WI lakes by planting cover crops in the fall to help with erosion and to keep the good soil from getting into the water shed. These signs will be put on the fields they are sponsoring.

Finished this 8’ last week.

I extended the holiday deadline to Nov 13th. Also it is now 15% off till that date! Stock pieces are 15% off as well.

More barn quilts done!
2 36” and a 48”, the first one is staying here is WI the next went to New York and the 48” went to Tennessee.

The annual 10% custom order sale is going and ends NOV. 1st!

Christmas orders have started to come in so if you want a barn quilt in time for Christmas get your order in ASAP. All orders are due by NOV. 1st.

It’s that time of year again for the annual custom barn quilt sale. The 10% off is available on all custom work, make sure you get your order in by Nov 1st to get the discount!

All stock pieces are 10% off, let me know which one you want!! They are all available on my website for a closer look.

What a busy past few weeks! 5 more barn quilts done! Only 26 more to go so far!
Remember if you want a barn quilt for Christmas your order must be placed by Nov 1st.

It’s that time of year again!!

With only 13 weeks left until I am done for the year it is time to get your orders in!

All orders must be placed by November 1st. If you order late and still want guaranteed delivery by Christmas. It will be an extra $25 per day after the November 1 order date.

Please reach out to me with any questions or to get your order placed!

Badger steam and gas show was Aug. 18th-20th and it was a huge success! For the last show of the year we went out with a bang!!
I had made and went with 63 stock pieces and came home with 51. And here they are! They are all posted on the website and are for sale! Message me if you have any questions!

Elbarnquilts.com

Yesterday was such an amazing day!
My family hung the first barn quilt on my shop and the 600th on a building at the farm.
When we put new tin on the barn the barn quilt had to come down. I asked if I could repaint it and hang it on my shop because it was the first and I thought it would be cool to have it.
I then made a new barn quilt for the farm. They wanted a 8’x12’ which is the biggest I have made. I am so grateful for everyone that helped me get to where I am today, and yesterday to have both of these hung up for thousands to see and enjoy make me so happy. As an artist you want people to see your work but this is something completely different. I am able to make beautiful pieces of work that more than just the owner can enjoy, and that makes me to happy and grateful!!