Edie

I made an Amish quilt - Broken Dishes - in solids. Turned out quite lovely. Broken Dishes is a traditional Amish block.
It was my one shot at an Amish Quilt. The design is quite simple, but yet quite lovely. It did the row of blocks diagonally with same color per row. You can check Quilter's Cache under 12" blocks. After library checking to find out the designs the Amish use, I found my preference was the Broken Dishes. Good luck to you. You will feel really rewarded after you finish one. Edie

quiltmom04

While the Amish don't have electricity connected to their house, not as much because of the electricity, but because they don't want any physical " connection" with the outside world, they DO use gas powered generators for their sewing machines, which can be old Singers, or modern Berninas. So, that means while hand quilting is traditional, it is NOT the only way they do it. Interestingly, the advent of cell phones has put a forth a predicament for the Amish. The phones are not technically " connected " to their property, so it is sort of gray area. Many Amish have a phone booth and answering machine on the edge of their property that they use to do business with the outside world. Amish workers will travel with a driver to many areas to do their construction jobs, but don't actually operate the vehicle. I go to a quilt store in Amish Lancaster county that uses a gas generator powered electronic cash register. It tickles me to see young Amish in updated Nike sneakers like the rest of our youth have! But, I guess this digresses from the original question, which I sure was about "traditional" Amish quilts, and I agree, the internet is a good resource if you aren't close to an Amish community.

Pepita

There are some books on the Amish and their quilts. They don't call themselves Amish--at least as far as I know. Different color ways are used in different Amish communities. I think that originally the quilts they made were made from scraps made from their own clothing. I think I remember the Amish communities in the east had darker colors (more somber) that they wore and that was reflected in their quilts. Amish communities farther west had some lighter colors that they wore. The quilts that they made that have become so revered had amazing graphic qualities. The quilting was so beautiful. Some of the patterns (for quilting) were passed down from family to family. Gwen Marsten wrote a book about learning some of the patterns etc. from the Mennonites.

twinkie

The only thing I would like to add is when I was in Hershey and York, Pa., the Amish told us that the colors were generally on the darker side and not the bright reds, oranges and yellows. Also, a true Amish Quilt is done by hand and not machine.

cabinqltr

Here is an interesting read.

http://www.womenfolk.com/quilt_notes/amish_hmong.htm

quiltmom04

Perhaps "traditional" Amish quilt is hand done, but a " true " Amish quilt is made by an Amish person - by hand OR machine.

stillclock

a stop in the road in intercourse pennsylvania was the reason i started quilting. we wandered through the quilt shops there, one incredible work after another on display. but with prices starting at $1000 i knew there would always be reasons not to but their work, that there would always be something else pressing my budget. and i was still in high school.

so i started quilting. my appreciation for their work has grown, and my desire to sit in a traditional quilting bee is unabated.

sometimes when i get all down about finances, or find myself wanting a $5000 sewing machine i don't need, or i see all the gadgets we have (software, computerized long arm machines, piece cutters etc.) i am reminded that some of the most beautful textile work i have ever seen was made with hands and simple tools. and when i get down about a culture that still tells women they can't do math or science, that somehow we're not built for the work of engineering or design, i remember the quilters. and it heartens me.

we owe a lot to those quilts and the women who made them, us contemporary quilters.

aileen

nancia

Aileen, you are right! There is a great deal of science and math in quilting. We are so used to it we don't even think about it. I belong to a group of hand quilters here in pa. We sit around the frame and quilt and talk, talking is my best part as I am new to hand quilting and have lots of room for growth.everyone is friendly and caring, we solve each other's problems, and the world's, all in a space of 4 hrs a week. We are quilting an Amish style quilt to be raffled off in December. We are putting good feelings of friendship and caring into every inch. I love these women! Each has her challenges, but we are all there to listen to each other. Hope you can find or start a similar group!