By Omie Drawhorn
For Paula Darland, Margaret Gersch and Ross Taylor, designing and creating the cheery barn quilt blocks that are on display around Scotts Mills and surrounding communities has been a labor of love.
Thanks to a donation from a retired Scotts Mills Elementary School teacher, the school is the newest location to display one of wooden quilt blocks, which are part of an ongoing fundraiser for the Scotts Mills Grange.
When Pat Briley of Salem opened a local newspaper one morning, she spotted an article about the barn quilt blocks.
“I thought the elementary school should have one too,” she said.
So she donated the funds for a wooden quilt block to be designed for Scotts Mills Elementary. The quilt blocks are made of plywood painted in brightly colored, often traditional quilt block designs.
The block, now hanging up at the school, features a one-room schoolhouse in honor of Hartman School, which was located on Heinz Road and was the first school in the Scotts Mills District.
The block was constructed by Scotts Mills residents and grange members Joe Plas, Roger Darland and Ross Taylor and painted by Paula Darland. Paula and Margaret Gersch, a member of the Scotts Mills quilting group, helped with the design.
Often, the buyer decides on the design, but in this case, Briley called Gersch and asked her to design it herself.
“It’s the most original one we’ve done,” Darland said.
The school features an asymmetrical roof and a bell tower, in honor of the current school building. It features the school colors, with a jaguar paw border (the school’s mascot) in on a blue background. There are also happy school children painted in the windows and in front of the school.
Darland said the project was a collaborative effort.
“Margaret helped me with bell tower,” Darland said. “Ross Taylor said ‘why don’t we put little kids in the windows?’”
Taylor also transferred the patterns to the wood block.
“He has a mind for geometry,” she said.
The quilt block was mounted on the outside wall between the gym and parking lot. It can be seen by driving through the parking lot or by driving east past the school on First Street.
Marilyn Annen, Scotts Mills School principal, said she is enjoying the beauty and originality the quilt block brings to the school.
“It’s so beautiful and it’s right up there for us all to see,” she said. “I think it makes (our school) more homey; it connects to our past with the one-room school house.”
The barn quilt block fundraiser has been going on for the past year.
Paula Darland, secretary of the grange, said the quilt block committee has constructed at least one block a month and are currently designing the 20th block, which will be hung at Scotts Mills City Hall. They are creating two more to honor grange members who have donated time, space and money for the construction of the quilt blocks.
Quilt blocks locations currently include the grange, historical society and the city park in Scotts Mills. Gersch’s home displays a quilt block with a sunburst quilt pattern, with an anvil in the center, inspired by a blacksmith who used to be in town.
Another quilt block features a star pattern with a water wheel.
Darland said Tillamook County in Oregon was an inspiration for the fundraiser.
“I first saw the barn quilt (blocks) in Tillamook County; they have a thriving barn quilt group. There are two in California and now there is us.”
She loves the design and creation process of the blocks and the sense of satisfaction she receives from collaborating with other grange members.
Block cost between $100 and $250.
Darland said often times the buyer has a certain pattern in mind.
“We accommodate that, decide on colors and sketch it out,” she said.
For information, visit Facebook at Scotts Mills Grange or the Web site at www.scottsmillsgrange.org or call Darland at 503-874-9575.
