A Conversation With A Quilt Enthusiast
by Jerry Hostetler
It might seem ironic that local
business owner and quilt expert,
Rebecca Haarer didn’t see her first
“Amish” quilt until she visited New
York City’s Metropolitan Museum of
Art as a Goshen College student in
1972. After all, like many LaGrange
County Mennonite and Amish
children, Rebecca grew up sleeping
under handmade quilts, playing under
the quilt frame, and attending the
Mennonite church sewing with her
mother Shirley.
Over the years, quilts have evolved
as an art form. Or, as Rebecca calls
it, “Quilts, bed to the wall.” In this
process, in no way are we saying that
quilts are no longer made to be used
on beds. In fact, the longtime tradition
continues, in our area, of giving a quilt
pg 18 · The Hometown Treasure · June ‘12
as a wedding present to be used for its
traditional use as a bed comforter.
In 1971, just before Rebecca saw
her first “Amish” quilt in New York,
quilts became recognized as an art
form. Quilts, being recognized as an
art form, was born out of quilt books
that had been published during the
1970’s. “Attention to Amish quilting
design, which was unique in its use of
solid colored fabrics only, created very
graphic, bold and sought after designs
for quilt collectors.” said Rebecca. She
continued to explain, “Art collectors
of old Amish quilts, circa 1890-1940,
often compared the impact of these
bold designs to modern American
paintings.”
Quilt books also had an impact on
the Amish women of our area that were
quilt makers. “World of Amish Quilts”,
was one book that Rebecca helped in
compiling, featured many quilt designs
from the Pennsylvania Amish country along with designs from this area.
There were differences in quilt patterns
from Pennsylvania to the Midwest and
not until the Indiana Amish women
saw them in print, did they start
making them in this area. The Center
Diamond design was a unique pattern
to the Amish of Pennsylvania and it
then became popular in this area. The
quilt mural on the south side of the
Davis Mercantile is a good example of
the Center Diamond quilt design.
The introduction of quilt books
also had an impact on art and antique
collectors. They were drawn to collect
quilts because of the pictures of the