A quilt consists of two layers of cloth filled with padding (like batting) secured in place by ties or stitched designs. Our quilts are always made of material that is either cotton or a cotton/polyester blend and filled with polyester fiberfill. The simplest quilts are secured by hand-knotting; you will find this style in our Quillows (pillows created by a cover stuffed with a quilted blanket inside).
The more conventional and famed quilts are secured by elaborate hand-stitching in a variety of patterns that range from feathering to cross-hatching to hearts to intertwined ribbons and other patterns.
As we stated on the Quilt Shop page, there are various definitions that people employ to describe an Amish quilt. Some people think an Amish quilt has to be made of the traditional dark colors and Amish block patchwork patterns. Others, such as we, think that an Amish quilt can be any quilt made an Amish woman, whether it be light or dark colored, or traditional block patterned or a non-traditional newer pattern. However, one definition that we emphatically do NOT USE is to say a quilt is Amish if it happens to be a traditional Amish pattern but made by a non-Amish worker. While there are some very fine English quilters plying their craft, Amish women are famed for their piecing and quilting technique far and wide. In addition, Lancaster County Amish women are generally recognized as being some of the most expert of all the Amish quilters.
There are basically two types of quilts that we sell here: patchwork and appliqué. A patchwork quilt consists of pieces of cloth of various colors and shapes sewn together to form a design. An appliqué quilt is decorated by using cutout designs that are sewn onto the quilt. This requires a great deal of painstaking craftsmanship by taking the edges of the cutout and sewing them “underneath” the design in what is tantamount to an invisible seam.
The quilts that we feature here are:
Usually the woman who cuts and sews the pieces together is a different person than the one who does the actual quilting. Different people have different talents.
First of all, does the quilt look “right” to you? That may sound like a silly question, but it’s not. The quilt has to harmonize the fabric design with the quilted design. If anything stands out or is glaring to you, then that’s clearly not the quilt for you.
Second of all, the piecing should all match. Do the pieces in your prospective patchwork quilt all meet at the corners? Or is one piece longer than all the others? Piecing can be a very difficult and demanding job, but your prospective quilt shouldn’t have any pieces that fail to match by more than one-eighth of an inch.
Third, the quilting itself should be plentiful and the stitches be relatively even. A good quilt will have at least 6 stitches per inch; a fine quilt will have 7 or 8 stitches per inch. Top of the line quilts may have even more, but their cost can climb dramatically.
Turn the quilt over (we include pictures of the back with each of our products) and look at the quilting from behind, where it is easiest to see. You don’t want to see too many “puckers” where pieces of fabric have been incorrectly gathered into the quilting stitch.
You also don’t want to see any large spaces of your quilt that haven’t been quilted. Any space larger than your fist means that there was a rush to bring this to market and the quilter didn’t do enough work on it.
One thing that may startle you are the tracing marks that run along side of the actual quilting. Quilters customarily use stencils to trace where they should perform their needlework. Many people prize these marks as part of a quilter’s signature. If you don’t care for them, you can easily rid your quilt of them. If your marks are white, it is probably chalk and will disappear after you dry clean or wash it. If it is gray, it is probably pencil and can be removed with a regular rubber eraser if desired. Just be certain that you don’t pull on the stitches while trying to erase the pencil marks!
Twin or Single Mattress: 39" x 75"
Full or Double Mattress: 54" x 75"
Queen Size Mattress: 60" x 80"
King Size Mattress: 76" x 80"
California King Mattress: 72" x 84"
Twins: Widths ranging from 63" to 80". Lengths ranging from 87" to 108".
Full: Widths ranging from 78" and 96”. Lengths ranging from 87" to 108".
Queen: Widths ranging from 84" and 102". Lengths ranging from 92" to 114".
King: Widths ranging from 100" and 120". Lengths ranging from 92" to 118".
We recommend dry cleaning for all quilts. After removing it from the dry cleaner’s bag, hang it on a clothesline if possible to air it out. If you don’t have a clothesline, you may wish to lay it gently on dry grass or merely to lay it on some kind of rack for a few hours.
If you wish to wash your quilt instead, please ensure first that any dark solid colors will not run!, You can test these fabrics by rubbing a cotton q-tip dipped in very hot water gently over each fabric. If any colors transfer to the q-tip, DO NOT wash your quilt, even in cold water!
If you do not experience color transfer and decide to machine wash, please wash on a gentle cycle with mild detergent. Line dry.
We do not recommend dry cleaning or washing more than once a year unless your quilt is specifically soiled. We also recommend checking the seams of your quilt to ensure that they don’t need any repairs before you dry clean or wash.
You may also wish to remove excess hair and dust by vacuuming your quilt with a nozzle attachment. It is a good idea to place a clean nylon knee-high or stocking over the nozzle to prevent it from putting too much suction on the quilt.
If properly cared for, your quilt should give you years of enjoyment and become an heirloom to pass down to future generations.
The best way to store your quilt is to roll it and place it in a cotton or muslin bag or wrap it in a bedsheet. If you must fold your quilt, please unfold and refold it in a different pattern once a month to prevent permanent creases from appearing. Never store your quilt in a plastic bag or cardboard box.
Nothing warms a room better than a beautiful wall-hanging. Before you buy your wall-hanging, it is best to determine where you wish to hang it. Your wall hanging should not be in direct sunlight. It should also not be in the direct path of a heating or air-conditioning vent. In the past, we have hung wall hangings behind our sofa, on a blank wall above wine racks, on the wall at the top of our bed, in our dining room between two windows that overlook our table, and on one of the walls that line our staircase. Examine your living space to see what you’d like to brighten or spruce up!
Most wall hangings come complete with a sewn-in sleeve for a rod, or sewn-in tabs. Occasionally, tabs are sewn to extend from the top and are intentionally seen, along with the rod that hangs them. We recommend dowel rods for small wall hangings that are intentionally hidden from view, and decorative curtain rods for visible tabs. You may choose a rod that falls just short of the wall hanging, which is intentionally hidden, or a rod that extends beyond and becomes part of the overall effect.
If your wall hanging does not come with either sleeve or tabs, and you would like those sewn in, please e-mail us before you place your order and we can arrange to have done for you for an additional $10.00 charge.
Either way, we will specify in each product listing which type of sewn-in arrangements that accompany your wall-hanging.
If your wall-hanging does not have any sewn-in provisions, you may also take some fabric ribbon and safely pin it to the back of your quilt with a safety pin. Or you may choose to sew in Velcro tabs and Velcro the wall-hanging directly to the wall (this will cause you to lose paint if you ever want to pull the Velcro off the wall) or attach the Velcro to a rod.
As you can see, there are many different ways to hang a wall-hanging! Of course, you may also choose to display your quilt on our attractive wooden quilt rack,