♪ GAIN A KEENER INSIGHT INTO THE AMISH AND MENNONITE QUILTS THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND VIEWING THE ACTUAL QUILTS.

SYMBOLS OF THE AREA EVOLVED INTO AN AMISH QUILT THAT WAS INSPIRED BY THE BACK OF THEIR BUGGIES.

STAY TUNED AND FIND OUT HOW TO MAKE AMISH IMAGES.

♪ ...IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM GINGHER, INC., MAKERS OF SHEARS FOR THE HOME, BUSINESS, AND INDUSTRY, AND BERNINA, MAKERS OF SEWING MACHINES MANUFACTURED WITH THE CARE OF TRADITIONAL SWISS WORKMANSHIP.

THE AMISH QUILT IS KNOWN FOR ITS DISTINCTIVE JOLTS OF INTENSE COLOR, USUALLY AGAINST DARK BLUE OR BLACK BACKGROUNDS.

THEY SOUGHT OUT TIGHTLY COMPOSED GRAPHIC DESIGNS WITH A FLAIR FOR FEATHER AND LAVISH QUILTING.

NOW, OUT OF RESPECT FOR THEIR AVERSION TO THE CAMERAS, WE HAVE CERTAINLY NOT INTRUDED INTO THEIR PRIVATE LIVES, BUT WE HAVE LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM THROUGH FRIENDS AND THE QUILTS THEMSELVES.

TODAY WE ARE AT THE MENNONITE-AMISH VISITOR CENTER IN SHIPSHEWANA, INDIANA.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS REBECCA HAARER, WHO HERSELF WAS RAISED IN A MENNONITE FAMILY.

HER RESEARCH HAS LED HER TO CULTURAL EXCHANGES, WHICH USES THE AMISH QUILT AS A MEDIUM.

YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO STUDY AMISH QUILTS AND COME UP WITH THREE PERIODS THAT YOU WOULD DISTINGUISH THEM.

TELL US ABOUT THAT, REBECCA.

WELL, WHAT HAS BEEN ENABLING ME TO DO THIS IS THE FACT, AS YOU MENTIONED, THAT DID I GROW UP HERE AND HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY QUILTMAKING IN MY OWN FAMILY AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY FAMILY AT LARGE.

AND I SEPARATE QUILTS FROM THE AMISH INTO THREE PERIODS, THE FIRST ONE BEING 1880 TO ABOUT 1940, AND THAT I CALL THE MOST TRADITIONAL PERIOD.

THE SECOND PERIOD BECAME A TRANSITION PERIOD IN DESIGN, AND THAT EXTENDED FROM 1940 TO 1960.

THEN THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD IS 1960 ONWARD TO TODAY.

AND WE'LL GO INTO MORE DETAIL AS WE LOOK AT THE QUILTS.

OH, GOOD, YOU'VE GOT EXAMPLES OF EVERYTHING.

WELL, THE FIRST PERIOD, THE TRADITIONAL PERIOD, WOULD BE THOSE QUILTS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE, AS THEY FIRST BECAME ACQUAINTED WITH AMISH QUILTS THROUGH THESE PUBLICATIONS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS ON AMISH QUILTS-- THEY THOUGHT OF AMISH QUILTS AS BEING THESE OLD, VERY DARK, AND BOLD COLORS, SUCH AS THIS BASKETS CRIB QUILT MADE ABOUT 1903.

NOW, ANOTHER EXAMPLE IN A LARGER SIZE, AN ADULT-SIZE QUILT, WOULD BE A LOG CABIN HERE, MADE OF SCRAPS.

THE LOG CABIN QUILT IS MADE OF WOOL CHALLIS, WHICH WAS THE DRESSMAKER'S FABRIC OFTEN, AND ALSO COTTON.

THESE WERE THE TWO CHOICES THAT WE FIND, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDWESTERN AMISH QUILTS.

NOW, BECAUSE THE AMISH WERE, AS A GROUP, DRESSED VERY PLAIN AND WERE ASKED BY THEIR BISHOPS TO BE SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD, THE QUILTS THAT FOLLOWED IN THE SAME TRADITION WERE ALSO MADE OF SOLID FABRICS RATHER THAN PRINTED CALICOES.

NOW, THAT PROBABLY IS THE MOST DISTINGUISHING DESIGN ELEMENT OF AN AMISH QUILT.

ALSO IN THIS EARLY PERIOD WE HAVE A VERY POPULAR PATTERN, THE FANS PATTERN, WHICH WAS, BY THE WAY, VERY POPULAR IN THE VICTORIAN PERIOD, AND WE CAN SEE THE VICTORIAN INFLUENCE IN THIS PARTICULAR QUILT, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS DATED 1913.

AND THAT CHARACTERISTIC THAT GIVES IT THE VICTORIAN INFLUENCE IS THIS EMBELLISHMENT WITH THREAD.

A CHAIN STITCH, RIGHT?

RIGHT ON THE OUTSIDE.

EXACTLY.

AND I HAVE SEEN OTHER AMISH FAN QUILTS THAT ALSO UTILIZE FEATHER STITCHING AROUND THE FANS AS OTHER NON-AMISH CRAZY QUILTS WOULD HAVE.

SO WE SEE THAT EVEN THOUGH THE AMISH WORKED WITH SOLID COLORS, OFTENTIMES THEY WERE INFLUENCED IN THEIR QUILTMAKING, EVEN IN THIS TRADITIONAL PERIOD, BY WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN QUILTMAKING IN AMERICA.

WELL, THAT'S INTERESTING.

AND THEN FROM THERE, WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT NEXT PERIOD?

THE NEXT PERIOD, WHICH I REFER TO AS THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD, WENT TOWARDS THE USE OF LIGHTER COLORS, SUCH AS THIS HUMMINGBIRD PATTERN HERE, WHICH USES A WHITE BACKGROUND.

AND THE HUMMINGBIRD PIECES ARE PUT TOGETHER WITH MANY PASTELS, LIKE THE LIGHT BLUE, THE LAVENDER, GREENS, AND SOMETIMES YELLOW-- BASICALLY PASTEL COLORS... REALLY SO UNUSUAL TO SEE THIS.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE PASTELS WOULD HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED.

THIS QUILT WAS ACTUALLY MADE ABOUT 1940 TO 1945, ALSO THIS ONE, USING A LOT OF WHITE BACKGROUND.

A LOT OF AMISH QUILT COLLECTORS AND PEOPLE STUDYING AMISH QUILT DESIGN JUST HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED THIS TRANSITIONAL PERIOD.

THIS PARTICULAR QUILT IS DATED, FOR OUR INFORMATION TODAY, 1939.

NOW, THIS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN HELPING ME TO DATE AMISH QUILTS, BECAUSE THE AMISH HAVE EMPHASIZED THE WRITTEN WORD, SUCH AS FAMILY LINES, AND THEY ALSO DATE THEIR FURNITURE PIECES AND COLLECT BOOKS, GENEALOGY BOOKS.

THEY HAVE ALSO DATED QUILTS.

AND THEN FROM THAT PERIOD, WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY?

LET'S APPROACH THE MORE CONTEMPORARY ASPECT OF QUILTMAKING IN THE AMISH.

THE THIRD AREA OF QUILTMAKING TODAY IS ACTUALLY MY FAVORITE ONE.

AND BEING AN ANTIQUE-QUILT DEALER AND COLLECTOR, AS I AM, OF AMISH QUILTS, YOU MIGHT WONDER WHY I SAY THAT.

WHY ISN'T THE FIRST PERIOD THE MOST EXCITING TIME?

WELL, THE REASON WHY THE THIRD PERIOD, WHICH IS THE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD, IS EXCITING TO ME IS THAT IT IS THE TIME IN WHICH WE REALLY HAVE DISCOVERED THE EARLY AMISH QUILTS.

IN THE EARLY 1960s, OUR CULTURE, OUR LARGER AMERICAN CULTURE, WENT THROUGH MANY CHANGES, AND WE WERE REACTING AND RESPONDING TO THE END OF A WAR OR THE BEGINNING OF AN END OF A WAR.

WE WERE ALSO GOING THROUGH A CRAFT REVIVAL PERIOD, WHICH IS RELATED TO THAT WHOLE POLITICAL TIME IN OUR HISTORY, AND PEOPLE WERE TURNING TO THINGS LIKE SPINNING, WEAVING, QUILTMAKING.

THE APPALACHIAN QUILTS HAD BEEN DISCOVERED.

AND AS WOMEN, ESPECIALLY, BECAME INTERESTED AGAIN IN QUILTMAKING, THEY TURNED TO WOMEN AS THEIR TEACHERS, AND AMISH AND MENNONITE WOMEN PROVIDED THIS TEACHING RESOURCE BECAUSE THEY, UNLIKE MANY OTHER WOMEN, HAD NEVER QUIT QUILTING.

MM-HMM.

THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN QUILTERS.

SO WHAT HAPPENED DURING THIS TIME WAS THAT THE BOOKS ABOUT AMISH QUILTS, THE OLD AMISH QUILTS, WERE WRITTEN, AND THAT INTRODUCED PEOPLE TO WHAT AN AMISH QUILT, THE TRADITIONAL AMISH QUILT, REALLY WAS.

SO IN THIS LATE CONTEMPORARY PERIOD, PEOPLE HAVE COME TO AMISH COMMUNITIES TO LOOK AT THESE QUILTS, ONLY TO FIND THAT IN THE PROCESS, MANY OF THESE QUILTS, SUCH AS, AGAIN, THIS CHILD-SIZE CRIB QUILT MADE IN 1903, ARE NOT IN AMISH HOMES, ARE NOT FOR SALE IN QUILT SHOPS, BUT ARE IN MUSEUM AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS.

WELL, THE INTEREST IN THE OLD QUILT DESIGN HAS GENERATED A WHOLE INTEREST IN REPRODUCING THIS OLD QUILT DESIGN.

DO YOU HAVE SOME EXAMPLES OF THAT?

AND...

YES.

I HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF AN OLD CRIB QUILT THAT WAS MADE IN 1913, A WONDERFUL BLUE AND WHITE BASKET QUILT MADE FOR A LIZZIE YODER NEAR SHIPSHEWANA FOR WHEN SHE WAS A BABY.

AND I HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT SOME AMISH WOMEN ARE DOING.

THIS IS A MEASURED COPY OF THIS VINTAGE-- THIS ANTIQUE BABY QUILT.

AND, UH, THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A CRIB QUILT.

ACTUALLY, IT'S A CRIB-SIZE QUILT.

THE ORIGINAL IS A FULL SIZE.

OH, IT'S SO EXCITING.

THIS IS A HALF-SCALED COPY OF THE LARGE QUILT.

NOW, ONE REASON THAT THESE ARE BEING MADE BY BOTH AMISH AND NON-AMISH ALIKE IS BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SO INTERESTED IN THE VISUAL IMPACT, THE DYNAMIC STRONG COLORS OF AMISH QUILTS, THAT THEY HAVE INCORPORATED THEM INTO THEIR OWN LIFE.

SO AS A COLLECTOR FROM, LET'S SAY, CHICAGO, WHICH IS A LARGE CITY NEARBY, COMES INTO THE AREA AND CAN'T FIND A VINTAGE QUILT FOR THEIR COLLECTION, THEY'RE OFTEN TURNING TO SMALL, REALLY, REPRODUCTIONS OF THEM.

YOU HAVE A FAVORITE STORY ABOUT MARY FRYE.

IT'S NOT ONLY OUR NON-AMISH COLLECTORS AND QUILTERS THAT HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN REPRODUCING SOME OF THE OLD DESIGN, BUT IT HAS COME FROM WITHIN THE CULTURE, AS WELL.

THIS PARTICULAR VERY LARGE CRIB QUILT WAS MADE BY A WONDERFUL AMISH WOMAN WHO PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR.

HER NAME WAS MARY FRYE, AND SHE WAS A PROLIFIC QUILTMAKER AND CONTINUED IN HER LIFETIME TO PRETTY MUCH WORK OUT OF THE TRADITIONAL EARLY PERIOD OF DESIGN AND REALLY DID NOT GO THROUGH A TRANSITIONAL PERIOD.

AND WHAT SHE WAS ABLE TO PASS ON TO HER GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT-GRANDNIECES AND GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN WAS THIS TRADITIONAL DESIGN.

BEFORE SHE DIED, SHE REQUESTED THAT NONE OF HER OLD DRESSES, HER OLD AMISH DRESSES, BE SOLD TO ANTIQUE DEALERS OR COLLECTORS, BUT INSTEAD, THAT HER FAMILY MEMBERS CUT THEM AND MAKE THEM INTO LITTLE QUILTS.

OH, IT IS SO TOUCHING.

YOU REALIZE THAT.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF MARY-- THIS IS ONE OF MARY FRYE'S-- A FORMER MARY FRYE DRESS OR TWO.

AND OF COURSE, I THINK THAT PROBABLY MARY FRYE HAD SOME KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACT THAT THERE WOULD BE AN INTEREST IN QUILTS MADE LIKE THIS, BUT IT STILL WAS GENERATED FROM WITHIN THE CULTURE AND NOT SOMEONE ASKING HER TO DO THAT.

IT WAS HER DESIRE TO HAVE IT DONE THAT WAY.

THANK YOU, REBECCA, FOR SHARING MARY FRYE'S STORY, AND WE WILL ALL REMEMBER TO DRIVE SLOWLY INTO THE WORLD OF THE AMISH AND MENNONITE PEOPLE SO THAT WE CAN BE CAUGHT UP IN THEIR GENTLE WAYS AND PEACEFUL EXISTENCE.

WHEN YOU DRIVE AWAY FROM THIS WORLD, YOU ARE LEFT WITH THE MEMORY OF THE CAUTION SIGNS ON THE BACKS OF THEIR BUGGIES.

SOMETIMES THESE SIGNS ARE RED, SOMETIMES GOLD, SOMETIMES FADED, AND SOMETIMES NEW AND BRIGHT.

NOW DIVE INTO ALL YOUR REDS AND GOLDS AND START CUTTING TRIANGLES FOR YOUR OWN AMISH IMAGES.

TO ENHANCE THE OVERALL DESIGN, HORSES AND BUGGIES WITH MORE CAUTION SIGNS PRANCE AROUND THE QUILT.

THE WHEELS AND HORSES ARE DRAWN ONTO THE CLOTH WITH AN INDELIBLE PEN AND ACCENTED WITH QUILTING LINES.

NOW, SOMETHING I DIDN'T FIGURE IN WHEN I DESIGNED AND MADE THIS QUILT WAS HOW IMPORTANT THE BLACK TRIANGLES ARE-- BOTH THE LARGE ONES AND THE SMALL ONES-- IN THE OVERALL DESIGNS.

BUT WHAT REALLY MAKES THE QUILT ARE THESE BRIGHT TRIANGLES ACCENTED WITH THEIR TRAPEZOIDS THAT FORM ROWS ACROSS THE QUILT.

THERE ARE TEN ROWS.

EACH ROW HAS SIX OF THESE HAZARD SIGNS.

I WOULD GO AHEAD AND DEVELOP THESE SIGNS AND THEN PLAY WITH THEM, DECIDING WHICH ONES ARE GONNA GO NEXT TO EACH OTHER.

KEEP IN MIND THAT WHEN YOU CUT OUT THE EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE, THERE WILL BE ONE STRAIGHT OF THE GRAIN AND TWO BIASES.

I THINK IT HELPS TO PUT A PIN ON THE STRAIGHT OF THE GRAIN, KNOWING THAT THEY WILL BE PLACED ON THE OUTSIDE TO KEEP ALL OF YOUR GRAIN LINES IN LINE.

WE'RE GONNA GO TO THE SEWING MACHINE AND SEE HOW TO PUT THESE TOGETHER.

THE TRAPEZOIDS ARE SEWN ON THREE SIDES OF THE TRIANGLES, AND MAKING CERTAIN THAT YOU PLACE THESE WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GO...

I HAVE SEWN ONE ON-- IT'S JUST A SEW--AND FLIPPED BACK.

I LIKE TO THUMB-CREASE OR EVEN PRESS THAT SEAM TO THE OUTSIDE.

AND THEN I COME WITH MY NEXT ONE.

AND IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHICH SIDE YOU DO, BUT IT DOES HELP TO GET YOUR CORNERS ALL LINED UP SO THOSE TRIANGLES ARE JUST IN PLACE.

AND STITCH ONE SIDE ALL THE WAY DOWN, TAKING YOUR 1/4-INCH SEAM ALLOWANCE... AND I LIKE TO HOLD THIS SIDE DOWN IN PLACE.

THAT WAY, IF THERE'S ANY EASING TO DO, YOU CAN DO IT RIGHT BETWEEN THE ENDS.

ONCE THAT HAS BEEN SEWN THE THREE TIMES-- WE'RE GONNA DO TWO HERE... ALL THE WAY DOWN.

THEN I KNOW THAT WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR IS THAT STRAIGHT EDGE TO HAPPEN ALL THE WAY ACROSS.

OH, THAT MAKES YOU FEEL SO GOOD WHEN THAT HAPPENS.

THAT'S GONNA COME HERE AND HERE, AND SEW AND FLIP BACK.

THEN YOU'RE GONNA COME AND SEW THIS TRIANGLE ON AND THIS TRIANGLE TO FORM THIS UNIT.

THIS IS THE UNIT YOU WANT TO HAVE HAPPEN.

LET'S GO BACK TO THE DRAFTING BOARD AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

THESE COME TOGETHER LIKE THIS AND LIKE THIS SO THAT YOU CREATE THAT LONG ROW.

NOW, I DO I THINK IT HELPS TO DO WHAT I CALL PIN AND PEEK.

I WILL THEN COME AND PIN THIS IN PLACE AND THROW THAT BACK, MAKING CERTAIN I'VE GOT THAT NICE LONG LINE HERE.

YOU'RE ALSO ESTABLISHING A STRAIGHT EDGE BETWEEN THE ROWS.

NOW, KEEP IN MIND, ONCE THAT WHOLE ROW HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER AND THE ROWS COME TOGETHER, YOU WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THE LITTLE TRIANGLE LINES UP WITH THE LARGER TRIANGLE.

TO COMPLETE THE WHOLE INSIDE OF THE QUILT ARE LITTLE PANELS THAT INCLUDE THE BACK OF THE BUGGY AND THE HORSES THAT GO ALL THE WAY ROUND THE QUILT.

I ACTUALLY USED AN INDELIBLE PEN TO DRAW THE HORSE IN PLACE.

THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE MADE FOR.

WHY NOT USE THEM?

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A LIGHT BOX OR A NICE WINDOW WITH THE SUNSHINE COMING THROUGH, YOU CAN PLACE YOUR PATTERN RIGHT ON THE TV SET WHILE IT'S ON AND THEN PUT YOUR CLOTH ON TOP AND TRANSFER THAT HORSE AND THE WHEELS ONTO THESE PANELS.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THE BUGGY IS PUT TOGETHER.

I DID USE THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE FABRIC TO CREATE THAT SHADOW ON THE FABRIC.

OF COURSE THE HAZARD SIGN HAS TO GO BACK OVER HERE, ALSO.

I SIMPLY TOOK THAT SAME TRIANGLE FROM THE ROWS AND TRIMMED JUST A LITTLE TRIANGLE OFF.

YOU CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENS THERE.

AND THEN THE LITTLE HAZARD SIGN IS PUT ON THE BACK OF THE BUGGY.

THE HORSE AND BUGGY PANELS ARE THEN ATTACHED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE QUILT.

A 1" x 16" GOES IN BETWEEN THE UNIT AND THE ACTUAL QUILT SO THE BUGGY WILL NOT GET LOST IN THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL.

THE QUILTING IN THIS PARTICULAR QUILT WAS DONE BY MARIE DETWEILER AND HER QUILTING FRIENDS FROM PRINCESS ANNE, MARYLAND.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE INSIDE OF THE HAZARD SIGN.

YES.

AN "A" WAS QUILTED THERE FOR AMISH.

NOW TO FURTHER OUR INSIGHT ON THE AMISH, WE GO TO THE INDIANA STATE MUSEUM, WHERE THE SOCIETY HAS PURCHASED A DAVID POTTINGER QUILT COLLECTION.

IT IS PRESENTED BY KATHLEEN McCLARY, CURATOR OF TEXTILES.

IT BEGAN SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN DAVID POTTINGER DECIDED THAT PERHAPS WHERE HE WAS STORING HIS COLLECTION, WHICH WAS A VERY COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION, PROBABLY COULD BE VIEWED BY MORE PEOPLE IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION, SO HE BEGAN LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO PUT IT.

THE INDIANA STATE MUSEUM SOCIETY HEARD ABOUT IT AND WENT UP AND TALKED TO HIM.

WE WERE APPRAISED OF THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE NEEDED TO SECURE THE COLLECTION.

SO THE SOCIETY AT THAT TIME BEGAN LOOKING FOR DONATIONS AND WERE ABLE TO GET A LARGE, SUBSTANTIAL GRANT FROM THE ELI LILLY COMPANY HERE IN INDIANAPOLIS, TO BEGIN, THEN, ACTIVELY ACQUIRING THE COLLECTION.

I USE THE WHOLE EXHIBIT TO HELP INTERPRET THE AMISH COMMUNITY.

THE AMISH ARE A SEPARATIST COMMUNITY IN THAT THEY LIVE IN A COMMUNITY FAIRLY ISOLATED, THOUGH NOT TOTALLY ISOLATED, FROM THE REST OF THE COMMUNITIES AROUND THEM.

BUT THE EXHIBIT USES THE QUILTS TO TALK ABOUT VARIOUS ASPECTS OF AMISH LIVING, AMISH LIFESTYLES.

THE BISHOP'S QUILT IS IN THE EXHIBITION SO THAT I MIGHT, IN ANOTHER WAY, TALK ABOUT THE AMISH LIFESTYLES.

THE RELIGION OF THE AMISH IS THEIR RULING ASPECT OF THEIR LIVES.

WHAT THE BISHOP SAYS-- HE IS THEIR ULTIMATE DECISION MAKER.

IN LAND DISPUTES, MARITAL PROBLEMS, ANY CONFLICT THAT MIGHT ARISE, OR ANY RULING THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE, THE BISHOP MAKES THAT RULING.

A SERIES OF GOOSEFOOT QUILTS IN THE EXHIBITION WERE MADE BY FOUR GENERATIONS OF THE SAME FAMILY.

AND I HAVE THOSE IN THE EXHIBIT FOR A PARTICULAR REASON IN THAT I WANTED TO SHOW THAT EVOLUTION OF QUILTING THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN THE AMISH COMMUNITY.

THE OLDEST ONE WAS DONE ABOUT 1887, AND THE COLORS ARE THE VERY DARK COLORS, THE PATTERN IS STILL THE GOOSEFOOT, BUT AS WE FOLLOW THAT THROUGH THE CRIB AND THE LARGER ONE, AND THEN THE ONE THAT WAS DONE IN 1985, YOU CAN VERY DEFINITELY SEE THE CHANGE IN COLOR CONCEPT THAT THE WOMEN HAD AS THEY WERE MAKING THEIR QUILTS.

WE BEGIN TO SEE A DIFFERENT USE OF FABRICS.

THOSE NATURAL FABRICS EVOLVE INTO THE SYNTHETIC FABRICS.

YOU GET A VERY DIFFERENT LIGHT BALANCE BOUNCING FROM THE FABRICS.

SO THE WHOLE QUILT, THAT LAST QUILT, IF YOU PUT IT RIGHT NEXT TO THE VERY FIRST QUILT, IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT QUILT COMPLETELY.

YOU CAN'T HARDLY TELL IT WAS DONE EVEN FROM THE SAME PATTERN, THOUGH IT WAS, SO THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THAT PARTICULAR SETTING, IS TO SHOW THAT THE AMISH WOMEN TODAY ARE CREATING WHAT THEY THINK WILL SELL.

THE QUILTS NO LONGER ARE A FUNCTIONAL OBJECT FOR THEM, THEY'RE A MARKETABLE OBJECT, AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE FOCUSING THEIR ATTENTION.

SO THEREFORE, THE QUILT HAS CHANGED IN THEIR CONCEPTS AS THEY'RE LOOKING AT AND BEGINNING TO BUILD A QUILT.

THE STAR QUILT IS NOT INDIANA.

IT--THE STRING STAR QUILT IS NOT AN INDIANA PIECE.

IF YOU'LL LOOK AT IT COMPARED TO THE OTHER INDIANA PIECES, IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.

IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF ONE THAT WE MIGHT FIND IN OHIO OR ILLINOIS, AND MORE LIKELY IN THE ILLINOIS COMMUNITY.

AS YOU LOOK AT THE AMISH QUILTS AS THEY GO ACROSS INDIA-- GO ACROSS THE UNITED STATES FROM PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO, INDIANA, ILLINOIS, AND MISSOURI, YOU SEE A VERY DIFFERENT PATTERN THAT IS USED, A VERY DIFFERENT TECHNIQUE THAT EACH COMMUNITY SEEMS TO ADOPT AND THEN DEVELOP.

IF YOU COMPARE INDIANA QUILTS AGAINST PENNSYLVANIA QUILTS, THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT.

THE PENNSYLVANIA TEND TO USE THE VERY PLAIN BUT VERY INTRICATE QUILTING DESIGNS ON IT.

THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PART OF THEIR QUILT.

INDIANA USES THE VERY PIECED PATTERNS.

ILLINOIS WILL TEND TO USE THAT STRING TECHNIQUE.

WE SEE A LOT OF THE STRING AND CRAZY PATCHES COMING OUT OF THE ILLINOIS COMMUNITIES.

OUR AMISH AND MENNONITE RESEARCH THEN LED US INTO OHIO, THE BERLIN AREA, WHERE WE MET MRS. MUELLER AT THE HELPING HANDS STORE.

SHE STARTED THIS BUSINESS IN A SMALL OFFICE IN 1974, WITH ONLY THREE QUILTS TO SELL.

ALL AT ONCE, WE STARTED TO GET MORE ORDERS, AND MORE PEOPLE WERE BRINGING IN QUILTS TO CONSIGN, AND WE HAD TO MOVE ON BACKWARDS, SO WE BUILT ONE ROOM, AND A COUPLE YEARS LATER, WE BUILT THIS ROOM, AND WE'RE STILL JUST HAVING MORE PEOPLE BRING IN CONSIGNMENTS.

AND HOW OFTEN DO THE LADIES COME IN AND QUILT ON THESE CONSIGNMENTS?

WE HAVE THREE GROUPS THAT COME IN ONCE A MONTH.

ONE GROUP HAS ABOUT 25-30 LADIES.

ANOTHER GROUP HAS MAYBE 20-25, AND ANOTHER GROUP IS ABOUT 12-15.

SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TWO OR THREE QUILTS GOING AT ONE TIME HERE.

YES, AND THIS AFTERNOON AFTER YOU LEAVE, WE'RE GOING TO PUT ANOTHER ONE IN, MOVE THAT ONE OUT AND MOVE ANOTHER ONE IN, BECAUSE TOMORROW WE HAVE THE BIG GROUP COMING IN.

MY JOY WAS IN TALKING WITH FELLOW QUILTERS, SHARING IDEAS, TECHNIQUES, AND LEARNING SOME NEW TRICKS.

FOR NOW, TAKE A LOOK AND SEE HOW SOME EXPERTS DO THEIR QUILTING.

WHEN THE LIGHT GETS TO THAT, THOSE PIN DOTS-- THEY KIND OF CHANGE COLORS.

YOU'RE MAKING LIKE A LITTLE RIDGE THERE, AREN'T YOU?

MM-HMM.

YES.

I ALWAYS KEEP MY THUMB BACK ON THE NEEDLE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY.

MAYBE THE OTHERS DON'T.

SHE DOESN'T, BUT I NOTICE SHE DOES IT WITH THIS FINGER IN FRONT.

IT DEPENDS WHICH DIRECTION YOU'RE GOING.

SO YOU HAVE ONE GIRL THAT DOES THE MARKING.

THAT'S SMART, AND THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO FOOL WITH THAT AT ALL.

I WOULDN'T TRADE WITH HER FOR ANYTHING.

SHE ASKED ME JUST A WHILE BACK.

SHE SAID, "WOULDN'T YOU TAKE MY JOB?"

I SAID, "NOPE, I WOULDN'T TAKE YOUR JOB."

WELL, IT'S REALLY AMAZING WHEN YOU THINK STOP AND THINK ABOUT IT.

YEARS AGO, SOMEONE HAD TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT ONLY THINKING UP THE PATTERN, PICKING OUT THE FABRICS.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE COOKING, ISN'T IT?

LIKE BUYING THE FOOD, COOKING, EATING IT, AND CLEANING.

IT'S JUST EVERY STEP.

MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO CALL IT-- OR ACTUALLY, IT WAS MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER USED TO CALL IT HER EGG MONEY.

[LAUGHTER] SHE WAS FROM PORTAGE, OHIO, WHICH ISN'T TOO FAR FROM HERE-- WELL, ACROSS THE STATE.

SHE DID WEDDING DRESSES FOR LOCAL PEOPLE AND THEN DID QUILTS, ALSO.

I HAVE A COUPLE OF HER QUILT TOPS, WHICH MAKES IT NICE.

I'M KIND OF WATCHING HOW YOU GO THROUGH INTERSECTIONS.

YOU SNEAK THROUGH, TOO.

THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES YOU HAVE TO FLOAT THAT NEEDLE, ISN'T THERE?

I'M GONNA GIVE YOU MORE ROOM HERE.

I GOT SO EXCITED LEARNING SOMETHING NEW.

OK, NOW, SEE WHAT HAPPENS, SHE, FOR INSTANCE-- LET'S PRETEND SHE'S RUN OUT OF THREAD.

SHE'S GONNA GO AHEAD AND-- MAKE THE KNOT... LIKE THAT.

THEN STITCH BACK.

PULL THAT KNOT IN AND THEN MAKE ANOTHER KNOT.

THEN CUT THAT KNOT OFF.

AN THEN YOU'RE READY TO START AGAIN.

THE KNOT'S ALREADY IN THE THREAD, READY TO GO AGAIN, SEE?

SHE HOLDS THE... THEN WE STITCH-- MAKE A BACKSTITCH.

LET'S WATCH THAT AGAIN.

YOU FINISH YOUR QUILTING, PUT A KNOT, FLOAT THAT NEEDLE ALL THE WAY THROUGH, BUT BEFORE SNIPPING, PUT ANOTHER KNOT AT THE END OF THE THREAD.

AND ONCE THAT OTHER KNOT IS AT THE END OF THE THREAD, THEN WHEN YOU SNIP OFF NEAR THE FABRIC, YOU'RE READY TO START QUILTING AGAIN.

[LAUGHS] HE NEEDED-- HE NEEDED A SUPERSIZE.

WELL, MEN WERE THE FIRST TAILORS.

RECOGNIZE THESE HANDS?

I COULDN'T RESIST JOINING THE GROUP AND DOING A LITTLE QUILTING MYSELF.

QUILTMAKING PROVIDES A SOURCE OF COMMUNITY PRIDE AND INCOME FOR BOTH THE AMISH AND THE MENNONITES TODAY.

THEIR NAME, LINKED TO QUILTS, HAS ALWAYS EVOKED A POSITIVE IMPLICATION.

THANK HEAVENS THEY CONTINUE TO PRODUCE AND PASS ON THEIR QUILTING HERITAGE.

JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR "LAP QUILTING," WHEN WE'LL BE SEEING STARS.

♪ ...IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY GRANTS FROM GINGHER, INC., MAKERS OF SHEARS FOR THE HOME, BUSINESS, AND INDUSTRY, AND BERNINA, MAKERS OF SEWING MACHINES MANUFACTURED WITH THE CARE OF TRADITIONAL SWISS WORKMANSHIP.

GEORGIA BONESTEEL IS THE AUTHOR OF "BRIGHT IDEAS FOR LAP QUILTING."

THE BOOK CONTAINS DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS AND PATTERNS FOR THE QUILTS IN THIS SERIES.

PUBLISHED BY OXMOOR HOUSE, THE BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN LIBRARIES AND BOOKSTORES NATIONWIDE.