Quilts have become a cherished symbol of Amish
craftsmanship and the beauty of the simple life. Country
stores in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and other
tourist regions display row after row of handcrafted
quilts—a favorite souvenir for tourists and a source of
income for the quilters. In luxury homes, office
buildings, and museums, the quilts have been preserved
and displayed as priceless artifacts. They are even
pictured on collectible stamps.
Amish
Quilts explores how these objects evolved from
practical bed linens into contemporary
art.
In this in-depth study,
illustrated with more than 100 stunning color
photographs, Janneken Smucker discusses what makes an
Amish quilt Amish. She examines the value of quilts to
those who have made, bought, sold, exhibited, and
preserved them and how that value changes as a quilt
travels from Amish hands to marketplace to consumers.
A fifth-generation Mennonite
quiltmaker herself, Smucker traces the history of Amish
quilts from their use in the late nineteenth century to
their sale in the lucrative business practices of today.
Through her own observations as well as oral histories,
newspaper accounts, ephemera, and other archival
sources, she seeks to understand how the term "Amish"
became a style and what it means to both quiltmakers and
consumers. She also looks at how quilts influence
fashion and raises issues of authenticity of quilts in
the marketplace.
Whether considered as
art, craft, or commodity, Amish quilts reflect the
intersections of consumerism and connoisseurship,
religion and commerce, nostalgia and aesthetics. By
thoroughly examining all of these aspects,
Amish Quilts is an essential resource for
anyone interested in the history of these beautiful
works.