American Genius Highway unveils new Quilt Trail and Passport
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Your travels across Missouri Highway 36 just got a little more creative. Today, the Missouri Highway 36 Heritage Alliance unveiled the American Genius Highway Quilt Trail, featuring quilt shops along the historic highway.
Dubbed “The Way of American Genius” for its connection to prominent Missourians from Mark Twain and Walt Disney to Gen. John J. Pershing, Missouri’s stretch of U.S. Highway 36 runs west to east, from St. Joseph to Hannibal.
The American Genius Highway Quilt Trail includes 15 shops in 14 cities. Many of the businesses along the newly established trail are located just off Highway 36, while some are within the Highway 36 Corridor (a zone spanning 36 miles north and 36 miles south of the actual highway).
You can learn more about the American Genius Highway Quilt Trail online at AmericanGeniusHighway.com/Map/.
“This is a trend the Heritage Alliance is embracing,” said Beth Carmichael, director of development and special projects for the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Administrator of the Missouri Highway 36 Heritage Alliance. “One of the key objectives of the alliance is to identify niche markets that draw consumer interest and entice people to travel, and quilting certainly is one of those markets.”
Carmichael pointed to the success of the Missouri Star Quilt Company in Hamilton (the hometown of retail magnate J.C. Penney) as one example of quilting’s popularity. Since its inception in 2008, the business has seen significant growth in its customer base, nearly tripled its staff, and become one of the largest employers in Caldwell County.
In addition to Missouri Star Quilt, each of the other quilt shops featured on the trail have unique and individual fabrics that customers will find at all price points. Shop owners and staff are enthusiastic to help guests pick out fabrics and patterns or assist beginners with cutting the blocks. They all want your quilting project to be a success.
“We know people who travel along Highway 36 are interested in the famous former residents along the highway and want to visit a variety of attractions, shops and restaurants along the route,” Carmichael said. “This trail gives travelers one more option to consider as they make their way across Missouri and it’s another way to promote some of the wonderful craftspeople who live and work in our state.”
In addition to announcing the trail, quilt shops along the route are kicking off a Quilters Passport program beginning April 15, 2015. Through the program, passports can be picked up at participating quilt shops. Visitors can collect a free pattern and get their passport stamped at each of the 15 businesses. Some but not all shops will provide a block kit for sale. The pattern block is unique to each individual business.
Each store will have one $25 gift certificate prize for the first completed quilt top using all 15 blocks. The quilt top should be presented to a participating store (one store, one prize). The very first one to complete the quilt top and turn in the stamped Quilters Passport will receive the grand prize, an Amish hand quilting service to complete your quilt top, provided by Shearwood Quilts in Jamesport.
You can find updates and prize winners on the Passport program on Highway 36 Heritage Alliance Facebook page.
Participating Quilt Shops are: Bits & Pieces, Hannibal; Crossroads Quilting, Cameron; Cuts & Bolts, Chillicothe; Glenda’s Sewing Cupboard, St. Joseph; Hickory Stick Quilt Shop, Hannibal; Huffemeier’s Fine Pines, Brookfield; Midwest Quilt Co, Shelbina; Missouri Star Quilt Co., Hamilton; Quilted Square, Kirksville; Rosie’s Quilts, Marceline; Sew Creative, Salisbury; Sew Sweet Quilt Shop, Brunswick; Shearwood Quilts & Crafts, Jamesport; The Quilt Shoppe, Wheeling; Top Stitch Quilt Shop, Helena.
For additional information call 816-233-6688 or email [email protected].