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Country
Decorating - The Amish Quilt
As autumn falls upon us, our thoughts naturally turn toward keeping warm
– even if we're in Hawaii or Texas, the instinct to nestle in come
October is in almost all of us.
One way to warm up a home in any latitude is with a cozy handmade quilt.
There are lots of choices since quilts come in a variety of types and
styles, from country-casual to elegant two-colored designs.
One style of quilt is that made by the Amish, or is based on Amish
designs. These quilts have a rich history that dates to the late 1600s,
when Jacob Amman, a Swiss farmer and bishop, left the Mennonite church to
form his own group, which later became known as the Amish.
Amman was quite conservative, and his sect became known for their strict
rules. They believe that assurance of eternal life rests in separating
from the rest of the world, and they still live amongst their own, relying
on their own skills to sustain hearth and home.
The Amish prize community, and each community helps sustain the
individuals in it. Thus, quilting is a natural, as the women congregate in
order to work on stitching the quilts as a group, which are then
distributed to the lucky recipient, sometimes a new bride. The idea of
individual artisanship is not something that operates in the Amish
culture.
The quilts are heavy enough to act as a top layer to blankets, trapping
heat close to the body. Or they can be used alone, in slightly warmer
climates, or even just as a decorative coverlet.
Old-fashioned quilts can be genuine antiques, or the handmade variety that
is made today with the same care and concern for quality as those made by
our grandmothers' generation.
 An
Amish quilt will lend a casual, country air to your home. If your home is
feeling a little too formal and staid, you may consider a hand-made quilt
as a way of relaxing the decor without sacrificing quality. And of course
if your house is an older home, a quilt will harmonize perfectly with the
architectural details.
Here in the Pennsylvania Dutch country, the Amish need their quilts for
more than just decoration. When the wind whips across the fields at 20
miles per hour, and the temperature drops below 0 degrees, you'd be happy
to have your quilt to wrap around as you snuggle down for another half
hour of sleep.
Amish quilts are made from solid color fabrics only, in bright and somber
colors. The patterns are usually large geometric medallions and are
heavily quilted with elaborate designs such as feathered scrolls and
cables.
They'll warm you up, even if you're not living in the northernmost corner
of the world.
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–Sarah
Van Arsdale
Sheffield
School of Interior Design
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Decorating and interior design tools for apartment - home - studio or dorm. |
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