Today, I stumbled upon some wonderful resources for those of you who love to see Amish Quilts and learn about them. Amish quilts are made by the Amish people of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Holmes County, Ohio; and Elkhart and LaGrange Counties in Indiana. By the way, the “A” in Amish is a soft sound like “ah” – just so you know how to pronounce the word correctly.
The first resource I found was a pdf that prints out to 13 pages, “The Collector’s Eye: Amish Quilts from the International Quilt Study Center Collections.” If you have a color printer, you are in for a treat! A great deal of history is provided for you, and major collectors such as Jonathan Holstein, Robert and Ardis James, and Henry Barber add their thoughts in this document.
At the present time, there is an exhibit of Amish quilts at the Textile Museum, 2320 “S” Street NW, Washington, DC, through September 2009. Their hours are 10 – 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; and 1-5 p.m on Sunday.
Yes, everyone loves Amish quilts. I remember when I was studying “History of Quilts,” the question arose as to whether the Amish made any Crazy Quilts. At first thought, the conclusion was “no.” Then, I happened to spot an Amish-made, Crazy Quilt with some orange colors, at the Vermont Quilt Festival, in a special display that year of the Espirit Collection, curated by Julie Silber. In quilt history, one can never say, “never,” with any confidence.
I hope that you enjoy these links. To see more Amish quilts, visit the Quilt Index/American Alliance for the Quilt website, or the International Quilt Study Center’s website.
Here are three novels that were recently celebrated in a newscast seen online. They depict Amish life as told by someone who has studied it intently. Cindy Woodsmall, author, states that the prayer caps of the Amish women mean more to them, perhaps, than wedding rings. Below are links to three of the five books she has written about Amish Life.
Best wishes, as always,
Patricia Cummings
Quilter’s Muse Publications
