quilts and the unique designs that were
displayed in the books. These unique
quilting designs were also defined in
the books.
While Rebecca studied art education at Goshen College in the 1970’s,
she would occasionally work in the
family business, Haarer’s Quaint
Shop in Shipshewana. A question that
visitors began to ask, while Rebecca
worked, was “Where can we see quilts
and meet quilters?” At that time there
were no quilt shops in town. Seeing the
Antique Amish quilt hanging at the
museum in New York was a wakeup
call for Rebecca that something that
we took for granted in our area, was
becoming known as a national folk art
form.
According to Rebecca, interest
in LaGrange County quilts and quilt
making developed as tourism began to
spontaneously grow in the 1970’s. Both
may have been a result of a national
trend toward American cultural interests and the rise in popularity of American antiques, folk art, preservation
and regional and unique cultures. All
of this may have been encouraged by
the 1976 Bicentennial. Many became
enthused in a renewed interest of what
“American” and “Americana” meant at
that time. People were again interested
in handmade items and the people that
made them.
In addition to the Center Diamond
quilt pattern mentioned earlier some
of the most popular quilt patterns
in LaGrange County, according to
Rebecca, are Monkey Wrench, Barn
Raising/Log Cabin, Bow Tie, Shoo Fly,
Robbing Peter to Pay Paul, Nine Patch,
Double Nine Patch, and Baskets, also
known as Ohio Star, just to name a few.
Many quilts are made from dress
and shirting material and Rebecca
mentioned an interesting fact pertaining to the material used in quilts.
Much of the guess work in dating a
quilt is taken out by studying the fabric that was used to make it and then
determining what era that particular
fabric was popular. That method usually can present a pretty clear idea of
when the quilt was made.
“Over time I have collected some of
the old quilts from our community and
I share them with quilt guilds visiting
our area,” said Rebecca.
Rebecca is in her fortieth year of
her family business on Morton Street
in Shipshewana. She emphasized the
importance of knowing the history and
to attach the history on the back of the
quilt on muslin material using a special
pen available at any fabric store. She
said that it is also important to photograph your quilts. You may contact
Rebecca for references on quilt appraisals or other questions pertaining to old
quilts.
On a personal note, one quilt held
a particular interest to me. The 1907
quilt on display that she had gotten
from Sarah Davis, the granddaughter
of Shipshewana founding “mother”
Sarah Davis. It was a quilt from the
Methodist Church in Shipshewana and
had been made for a fundraiser for the
church. All the names of the parishioners, including children, were stitched
on the quilt. How interesting it was
to see my grandmother’s name, Edith
Young, stitched between my greatgrandmother and great-grandfather’s
name. I also recognized many names
that my Grandma had spoken about in
stories that she told me.
“Here to service all your quilting dreams.”
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500 Spring Valley Road - Suite #7 • Middlebury, IN 46540 • On US 20 just West of the Essenhaus
The Hometown Treasure · June ‘12 · pg 19
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The Hometown Treasure · June ‘12 · pg 19