CANTON -- TAUNY will kick off a major barn quilt tourism project this June with barn quilt classes and painting sessions led by Ruth McWilliams.

In the “How-To” Barn Quilt Class: Basics from Inspiration to Installation, participants will learn about the history of barn quilts in the United States and St. Lawrence County and learn how to make their very own 2’x2’ barn quilt from start to finish.

This 3-day class will take place at The TAUNY Center on June 6-8 and again on June 20-22, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on day one, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on day two, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on day three.

There will be a $15 studio fee and an additional cost for materials starting at $50 for this workshop. All participants must register with Ruth McWilliams (ruth@catamountlodge.com).

Further workshop details are also available at www.tauny.org.

In addition to barn quilt classes, there will also be opportunities for people to observe barn quilt painting in action at two barn quilt painting sessions at The TAUNY Center on June 11-12 and June 27-29.

Interested observers can drop in and watch others paint a “Towns of St. Lawrence County Barn Quilt” at these sessions, as part of the larger barn quilt tourism project.

To create this barn quilt mural, historians and other town representatives around the county are working with Ruth and the St. Lawrence County Historical Association to choose traditional quilt patterns representing the rich heritage and identity of the county's 32 towns. These 32 barn quilt squares will make up a 4’x8’ mural that will then be on public display over the coming months.