Amish Articles

Who works to make my custom Amish quilt
A behind-the-scenes look at the team of Amish women involved in each quilt, from the designer and fabric coordinator to the cutters, piecers, and quilters. Read more...
Where are these Amish custom quilters
A personal account of the Cumberland Valley community where the Silla family lives alongside the Amish and Mennonite neighbors who craft each quilt. Read more...
What the Amish Do For Fun
Beyond the fields and the quilting frame, this post explores how Amish families relax and enjoy themselves without electricity or modern gadgets. Read more...
What do the Amish Believe Anyway
An overview of the core beliefs that unite Amish communities, along with the differences that set Old Order groups apart from more progressive ones. Read more...
Visiting an Amish Fabric Shop
Lancaster County alone is home to dozens of Amish fabric shops, and this post explains what makes their carefully chosen, solid-color fabrics stand apart. Read more...
The Old Order River Brethren
Get to know the Old Order River Brethren, a group formed near Pennsylvania's Susquehanna River in 1780, and how its women pass down quilting skills through generations. Read more...
The Languages of the Amish Quilter
An inside look at how young Amish girls grow up trilingual, learning Pennsylvania Dutch at home, English at school, and High German for worship. Read more...
The Hutterites
A glimpse into Hutterite colony life, where families share meals, work, and income together on communal farms that trace back to sixteenth-century Europe. Read more...
The German Baptist Brethren
Here's a primer on the German Baptist Brethren, or Dunkers, and how a split over modernization shaped their traditions of triple immersion baptism and handmade quilts. Read more...
The careers of Amish Men & Women
Traditional roles still shape daily life in Amish communities, yet many men and women also bring in income through woodworking, quilting, canning, and outside employment. Read more...
The best way to honor my Grandmother
A family's story of losing a beloved grandmother and turning her keepsakes into a memory quilt to keep her stories and presence close for generations. Read more...
The Applique Quilt
A closer look at applique quilting, where layered fabric patterns and careful stitching turn a plain background into a striking work of art. Read more...
The Anabaptists
Trace the Anabaptist movement's roots to 1525 Switzerland and the three convictions—believer's baptism, pacifism, and shared goods—that still echo through Amish and Mennonite faith. Read more...
The Amish To be Separate from the World
A reflection on why the Amish choose to live apart from mainstream society, and how that separation preserves the community and simplicity so many outsiders admire. Read more...
The Amish Quilter Meal Times
A glimpse into how an Amish quilter balances hearty, from-scratch meal preparation each day with the many other chores that fill her busy schedule. Read more...
The Amish Quilt
Discover how a patchwork quilt mirrors Amish and Mennonite values, with peace, simplicity, humility, and service stitched into every seam and pattern. Read more...
The Amish Quilt Today
A history of how Amish quilts evolved from plain, solid-colored bedcovers into celebrated works of art, tracing patterns like the Center Diamond and Sunshine and Shadow. Read more...
The Amish Quilt of My Grandmother
A personal story about inheriting a grandmother's Amish quilt and discovering how much comfort and family history are stitched into it. Read more...
The Amish Movement
The story of how Jacob Amman's 1693 split from the Mennonite church gave rise to the Amish, and the customs of dress, transportation, and daily life that still set them... Read more...
The Amish Memory Quilt Life Cycle
Traces the two paths a memory quilt can take, either pieced from old clothing or built from photos transferred onto cloth and stitched together by hand. Read more...
Steps in Making a Custom Quilt
A walk-through of the ordering process, from picking a size and pattern to choosing colors, so you know what to expect before your custom quilt takes shape. Read more...
Spending a day with the Amish
Early mornings, farm chores, and shared meals fill a typical day in an Amish household, and this post follows the rhythm of that simpler, close-knit lifestyle. Read more...
Shopping at an Amish Bulk Food Store
Locally owned and refreshingly free of flashy packaging, Amish bulk food stores offer a straightforward shopping experience worth comparing to the big chain warehouses. Read more...
Rumspringa and the Young Amish Quilter
An explanation of rumspringa, the stretch of freedom when young Amish weigh modern life against tradition before choosing baptism into the church. Read more...
Retirement in the Amish Community
Explores what the Amish call the 'slowing down period,' a later stage of life where elders remain respected teachers and active family members. Read more...
Real Quality Amish Storage Sheds
Hand-built without electric power tools, genuine Amish storage sheds reflect the same careful craftsmanship found in their furniture and quilting, with plenty of room to customize. Read more...
Possible Patchwork Patterns for your custom Amish quilt
An overview of patchwork options passed down through generations, including the Central Diamond, Log Cabin, Trellis, and fan-shaped variations. Read more...
Plain People
Reflects on the relational, practical, and steady values shared by Old Order Anabaptist communities and their roots in an older way of life. Read more...
Plain Dress of the Amish
Examines how simple, modest clothing serves as a visible expression of Amish faith and a deliberate stand against worldly fashion trends. Read more...
Old Order Mennonite
A closer look at the Old Order Mennonites, sometimes called Buggy Mennonites, and the horse-drawn transportation, plain dress, and quilting traditions that mark their community. Read more...
Old Fashioned Amish Signature Quilt
An explanation of how signature quilts are made, with names hand-embroidered onto fabric, making them a lasting gift for weddings, retirements, or reunions. Read more...
My Mother made a quilt top
A hand-pieced family quilt top sat unfinished for years until arthritis and a fading tradition led one daughter to search for a skilled quilter to complete it. Read more...
Modern Mennonites
A short history of the Mennonite church from its Anabaptist beginnings under Menno Simons to today's worldwide community, still rooted in peacemaking, service, and quilting bees. Read more...
Meet some of our Quilters
Get acquainted with a few of the Amish and Mennonite women behind our quilts, and the daily rhythms of farm chores, family, and faithful stitching that shape their craft. Read more...
Making a quilt from the dresses of my Mom
Practical guidance on turning a mother's dresses into a keepsake quilt, including how much fabric is needed and tips for choosing which garments to include. Read more...
Life on an Amish Farm
A day-to-day picture of Amish farm life, where horse-drawn equipment and hand labor take the place of the machinery most modern households rely on. Read more...
Interesting Facts About Amish Quilters
A collection of lesser-known details about Amish quilters, from community population numbers to the Anabaptist roots that shape their daily lives. Read more...
Will AmishQuilter quilt a quilt top that I already own
Explains how an existing quilt top can be attached to a new Amish-made base, and what details about its size and condition are needed to get started. Read more...
How to approach and talk to the Amish
Respectful conversation with Amish neighbors starts with understanding their faith and values, and this post offers practical pointers for keeping interactions courteous and brief. Read more...
How long does it take to make a custom quilt
A breakdown of the timeline for a custom quilt, from design and fabric sourcing to piecing the top, showing why the process can take several weeks. Read more...
How do I get a custom Amish quilt made
Answers the basics of starting an order, covering how to reach the shop, what details to share, and the pattern and color choices available to you. Read more...
History of Quilts
A journey through quilting's long past, from a 1395 bed quilt and royal gifts of the 1500s to the pioneer women whose patchwork became an American tradition. Read more...
Going On an Amish Quilting Vacation
A traveler's guide to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, with notes on quilt shops, museums, buggy rides, and other stops worth building a trip around. Read more...
Five great Amish Recipes
Shepherd's pie, dumplings, and other Amish kitchen staples are broken down into simple steps using ingredients you can find at any grocery store. Read more...
Favorite Foods from Amish Quilting Country
A roundup of hearty, from-scratch recipes for breakfast, dinner, supper, and dessert, inspired by kitchens across Amish quilting country. Read more...
Custom Memory Quilts
A look at how memory quilts come together, from saved clothing scraps to photo-transfer fabric, and why families often use them as keepsake bed toppers or wall hangings. Read more...
Custom Amish Quilts
Here's how custom Amish quilts came to be, born from women gathering to visit while keeping their families warm, and still handmade with care in Pennsylvania Dutch country today. Read more...
Creating an Amish Quilt 2
Part two picks up where the last post left off, covering the quilt top, batting choices, the quilt sandwich, binding, and hand versus machine quilting. Read more...
Creating an Amish Quilt 1
Part one of a hands-on guide to starting your own quilt, from choosing a pattern and fabric to cutting and piecing your first blocks. Read more...
Choosing the pattern for your custom Amish quilt
A rundown of classic Amish quilt patterns, from appliqué florals to the Amish Star and Log Cabin designs, to help narrow down the look of your quilt. Read more...