History of the Amish Quilt

Making quilts has been a practice of American women since the late 1700s as a practical means of providing warmth for the cold winters. While many people believe that women have been quilting for art and pastime since colonial days, this is actually not the case. Women in those early days of America were expected to do the spinning and sewing of clothing and bedding, but it was rarely done so in a decorative fashion or thought of as a hobby. It wasn’t until the mid to late 1700s that women were experiencing better living conditions and had a few moments of spare time in order to quilt for pastime or personal expression. Many of these early quilts would look nothing like the quilts of today because they were usually done using the quilting methods of their home countries or created using their own individual methods.

The earliest quilts were usually whole-cloth quilts which used a solid piece of fabric for the top, filling, and backing. Intricate designs were then stitched into the solid pieces of fabric making the whole quilt look as if it were decorated through texture, design, and shadow. These quilts used single colors since they required one piece of fabric for the entire quilt, however, they often used bold, rich colors. Intricate patterns were used on these whole-cloth quilts which required skill and patience in order to create large, equal patterns throughout the entire quilt. Popular designs of the time included geometric shapes, flowers, feathers, animals, and people.

Another popular quilting method of the time was called “broderie perse,” which was an applique technique using printed chintz flowers and designs. Imported printed fabrics were in short supply in those early days of quilting, so rather than using only solid whole-cloth quilts, women began cutting out small pieces of the printed fabrics they managed to get a hold of and would make designs out of them. The quilters would cut out flowers or shapes from the printed fabrics and then stitch them to the top of the solid fabrics to make them more intricate and colorful looking.

It wasn't until the mid-1800s that the method of block quilting was developed. Until this time, colored or patterned fabrics were not readily available to most American women. However, once textile manufacturers became automated and textile factories began producing large amounts and different varieties of fabrics, the style of block quilting that we are familiar with today started popping up all over the country. Early American quilters began creating more intricate patterns or designs and began expressing themselves more creatively through the art of quilting. Quilts began moving from mere necessity for warmth to more artistic uses for decoration.

It was at this time that many Mennonite groups began embellishing their quilts using geometric shapes and more colorful designs. It wasn't until the late 1800s, after the newness of quilting began to fade, that the Amish took to quilting. Many Amish groups rejected the idea of quilting for decor initially because it was thought to be a useless task. Quilts were to be used for warmth alone, not for art, so embellishing or decorating them was considered an impractical use of their time. This is just one of the fundamental differences that divide the Mennonites from the Amish. Mennonites are considered less strict than the Amish when it comes to interpreting scripture and intermingling with the world around them, so quilting for art was looked down upon by the Amish in the earliest years of block quilting.

However, during the mid to late 1800s, the Amish began taking to the art of quilting and eventually making it into their own style. Because the quilt was a useful and necessary item, many Amish quilters believed that it was okay to use the colored and patterned fabrics while making the quilts because it didn't take anymore time to make it more beautiful, while still remaining useful. As a result, the Amish began developing their own designs and methods for producing their attractive and intricate patterns. Simple geometric designs pieced together with tiny, equally spaced stitches quickly became the Amish quilter’s signature style. The earliest Amish quilts used basic squares, triangles, or rectangles using solid, muted colors. These Amish quilts eventually developed into more intricate designs that used brighter and bolder colors. Popular designs among Amish quilters were often inspired by nature, such as flowers, leaves, grapevines, stars, circles, or a mixture of a variety of these Amish styles.

Over the years, different patterns and styles have become popular within certain Amish community throughout the country. These differing styles would often reflect the strictness levels of the Amish communities they came from. Darker, muted, less intricate designs were more common in conservative Amish communities, whereas brighter, lighter, more complex designs were more common in liberal Amish communities. Many Amish quilts are so distinctive in style that you can tell exactly which Amish region or community it comes from based on the colors, designs, or styles.

An Amish quilt is a very specific type of quilt with a unique look to it that is usually made completely by hand by Amish women. Amish quilts are known for their geometrical designs and deep, dark colors. The older styles of Amish quilting usually only used large solid colored fabrics that were arranged in a bold geometric pattern. They were often designed on a black or dark colored background with limited color changes. Depending on the location of the Amish quilting community, particular color palates were often used based on the availability of fabrics and the beliefs of the Amish community itself. The Amish generally used fine wool rather than cotton fabrics and were made from very few pieces in a large, central design that would have a border around the entire quilt.

Today, these strict Amish quilting rules have become much more lenient so as to appeal to the general public in order to sell them for profit. A variety of different patterned fabrics and brighter colors can be found on many of the modern Amish quilts. Popular trends and fashions are more commonly followed now so as to adapt to the changing styles and tastes of the non-Amish community. However, the basic Amish methods and design styles still remain popular. Amish quilt blocks are often made by individual Amish quilters and then stitched together on huge quilting frames by multiple quilters during an Amish quilting bee. Owning a handmade Amish quilt brings back the feelings of tradition and old fashioned values that the Amish people still live and breathe today.