Pennsylvania Quilts - Amish Style

Pennsylvania quilt shops feature Amish quilters and Amish quilts of staggering quality and beauty. The Amish community take great pride in their homemade quilts. A simple society, Amish people live without electricity, phones in the home and shun many modern advances. Art, in particular, is frowned upon since it has no real purpose. Quilting art is different. A quilt serves the purpose of keeping one warm. The British Quakers brought quilting to the Amish and initially the craft was rejected. Amish quilters did not begin the trade until approximately the 1800's.

Amish quilting techniques and patterns are simple. In the beginning, Amish quilts consisted of one color and simple patterns, After time, two colors emerged in the craft of Amish quilting. Also, patterns appeared in the Pennsylvania style quilts. At first patterns were small and simple and tucked into the corners of the quilts. Baskets, flowers, and grapevines started to appear as motifs and eventually became centralized on the quilt.

A general rule of thumb; the less patterned Amish quilt is generally the older Amish quilt. The fewer the designs, the older it is. The Amish people used quilting as a craft to keep them occupied during quiet winter months. In the spring and summer, quilting bees were formed and these circles were social events.

The Amish use this craft to make money for their families. Every family member must contribute some way to help their families meet financial goals. Quilting, for women, is a way to assist families financially. Quilting auctions are common in Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Amish women will attend these events to auction off their quilts and do their fair share to earn money for their family. These auctions are also a way for Amish women to socialize. If you cannot attend an Amish quilt auction, shop ebay for Amish quilts to add to your collection.

Displaying your new Amish Pennsylvania style quilt is easy and there are several ways that you can do this.

• Throw your Amish quilt over an armchair or sofa to change the look of a room.
• Fold the quilt over a quilt rack to be displayed with other prized quilts that you own.
• Use an open shelf display, open cupboard or hutch to fold quilts, choosing striking elements to be seen on the fold, and pile neatly in stacks to be seen and admired.
• Hang your quilt on a wall. Wall racks for quilts are readily available. You could also attach your Amish style quilt to a wall using a long curtain rod so that the entire quilt may be seen. This makes a nice backdrop for a room.
• Take your quilt to the park and use it as a picnic throw.
• Quilts can be used to line tables instead of a table cloth. They liven up a room and change the theme of a room.You do not have to eat on the quilted covered table. Just use it as a covering for guests to view until you are ready to dine or cover a table with a quilt that won't be used for dining and complement the quilt with a lovely flower arrangement in the center of the table.
• Hang one of the edge of a child's crib or on the end of a child's bed to add color and shapes to the room.