Ask Penny Halgren

You know, not just anyone can make an Amish quilt. Amish quilts are made by Amish people. The Amish quilting tradition goes even deeper than that.

Bettina Havig says in her book “Amish Quiltmaker,” that there is a difference between Amish quilts and Amish made quilts. Amish quilts are those actually used in Amish homes. Amish-made quilts are made by an Amish quilter and sold to help supplement the family’s income.

The quilts used by the Amish in their homes are actually rather simple and utilitarian. They are not at all like the elaborate quilts Amish quilters make to sell.

Instead, the quilts used by the Amish in their homes use simple solid color fabrics and simple piecing designs. Many quilt makers in Amish communities use treadle sewing machines on their quilt projects. They typically use the treadle sewing machine to piece the quilt top. The whole thing is then hand quilted using a large floor frame to stretch it out.

Have you ever noticed that you just don’t see a lot of appliqué in Amish or Amish made quilts?

There’s a reason for that. Having explains that the Amish simply don’t think it’s frugal to layer fabric unnecessarily. They look at layering fabric as frivolous and not an effective use of fabric.

Whether a home quilt has small prints in it or not often comes down to the community’s acceptance. Some conservative communities will allow a small printed fabric to be used in home quilts. The church usually has great input in the community’s opinion. The fact that some Amish communities are a little less conservative explains why you might see an occasional print in an Amish home quilt.

Knowing this background information, why can’t you make an Amish quilt? Amish is a religious fellowship. It’s a Christian denomination known for its conservative, simple way of life. The church dates back to the late 1600s. It would be disrespectful to claim to have made an Amish quilt if you were not indeed Amish.

What you can do is create an Amish inspired quilt. Select the quilt block pattern you will use. Make sure it is a simple quilt block, one that is not too elaborate or it won’t fit the trademark simplicity of the Amish.

Also select your colors accordingly. Keep the colors simple. The quilt should not be too bright or bold, although sometimes Amish quilters use jewel tones in their quilts to make them sparkle.

Some communities don’t allow colors like red or yellow to be used in sewing projects. Don’t forget, you won’t find many prints in an Amish quilt so your Amish inspired quilt should not have many either.

Most Amish quilts have borders…sometimes more than one border. Borders are included in Amish quilts because they are an effective, simple use of fabric. So, if you are making a quilt inspired by the Amish, you will definitely want to include a border on it.

It goes without saying that you will not find a lot of embellishing on Amish quilts. Your Amish inspired quilt, then, should likewise have no embellishment. It is rare to have buttons on articles of Amish clothing, they certainly have no place embellishing a quilt.

The Amish rely on hook and eye closures and snaps for most of their every day clothing. Trousers may have a button for security.

Amish quilts don’t need a lot of embellishing or bright colors because the hand work of the quilters is what makes them truly beautiful and unique. The muted colors and simple patterns allow the art of the quilted stitches to shine through. Elaborate quilting designs on a simple backdrop create quite a contrast!

Now, you are armed with enough knowledge to be respectful of Amish quilters and to create your own Amish inspired quilt.

An Amish-inspired Ocean Waves Quilt. Each solid square has intricate quilting.