How to Start an Amish Quilt Tradition
In today’s busy world, it seems as if family traditions have fallen by the wayside for many of us. Things that used to bind us together as members of the same family and handed down from generation-to-generation almost seem like the actions of a long forgotten era. Things like passing down treasured recipes, special holiday traditions, and sharing family history are slowly being forgotten and replaced with informality and a loosening of ties that have bound families together for a millennium. Fortunately, all is not lost forever. Family traditions can be picked up and carried on to future generations with a little effort and a lot of determination by one or more members of the family. New traditions can be developed and passed on just as easily as old ones can be re-energized, practiced, and enjoyed by the whole family.
Some people may think that tradition is equal in meaning to ‘old fashioned’ and might not be embraced by the younger generations. While some family members might initially resist starting or reestablishing a family tradition, particularly teenagers, any type of family bonding activity will usually result in bringing the members of the family closer together. If you think about it, you probably have fond memories of a tradition your family used to participate in, but didn't really appreciate it at the time. Today, it probably reminds you of ‘the good old days’ and makes you yearn for something similar that you can share with your own children. In the years to come, your children will also look back upon the traditions you shared with them and remember them fondly, but where to begin?
When it comes to heritage and tradition, the Amish have cornered the market. They hold so dearly to their traditions and ways of simple living that their communities have changed little over the last hundred years or so. One of the most beautiful traditions the Amish have managed to pass down over the decades has been the tradition of the handmade Amish quilt. While the Amish didn't invent quilting, they certainly have perfected it and turned it into something that is an identifying feature that represents their culture, beliefs, and traditions. Using dark, bold colors to create unique geometric shapes and patterns, Amish quilts are considered to be some of the most beautiful and best made examples of traditional handmade quilting techniques around the world. Individual scraps of fabrics are stitched together by hand using precise and evenly spaced stitches to give the Amish quilt a uniform and finished look. After the design of the top sheet is completed, the Amish quilt is then placed on a large frame that stretches the piece out and the inside quilting layers and bottom sheet are attached. Often, all the women of the Amish community gather together in what is called a ‘quilting bee’ and they put the final piece together by stitching the quilted designs to create a beautiful Amish quilt.
Collecting these Amish quilts is a wonderful way to bring your family together and create a tradition that will last a lifetime and into future generations. The way these Amish quilts are created already represents a sense of tradition and unity that your family can continue back home. You can start by planning a family trip to one of the many Amish communities throughout the country. This is a great and exciting way to start the tradition of Amish quilt collecting. Getting to see the Amish first hand and how they live is a wonderful way to bring the family together and have fun seeing how other people live. If you can’t manage to make a trip out to Amish country, you can always bring Amish country to you via the internet. Amish quilts have become so popular around the world that the demand for their quilts has required that they be sold not only in community markets, but also in the many markets that exist in cyberspace. This may seem like a contradiction to the way the Amish choose to shun modern society and technology, but it sure makes it easier for those who love to collect their beautiful quilts to have instant access to them.
In addition to collecting Amish quilts, you might also consider purchasing a handmade Amish cedar hope chest to keep and protect the Amish quilts you buy. The Amish are just as well known for their traditional woodworking skills as they are for their quilting. Rather than using power tools and factory made nails and screws, the Amish make their furniture and other wood crafts using hand tools, wooden pegs, and traditional interlocking joints. An Amish made cedar hope chest is something that young girls can use to collect the things that they will use when they grow up, get married, and have a family of their own. Many of the items that end up in a hope chest are handed down from mother to daughter throughout the generations. Things like handmade linens, family heirlooms, meaningful jewelry, and of course a beloved Amish quilt. This old tradition is something that can be started in your own family and is a wonderful bonding activity between mother and daughter.
Hopefully, as the years pass by, your children and grandchildren will continue these traditions and will embrace them the same way you embrace the traditions of your own family’s past. A beautiful Amish quilt and sturdy cedar hope chest will last generations and can become something that is treasured by family members well into the future.
