Erick and Amish Beginnings - France and Germany

Are you enjoying the trip?  Leave some thoughts as you read, I am interested in what you have to say.

Erick Wolfmeyer

I have to give you this link for Erick.  Please do read a brief info of him that tells you about his reason for quilting,  I also said he was from Idaho, well I knew it was an “I” state.  He is from Iowa. Close, they both are up north from here, LOL but I have only been to one briefly as Frank tried to kill me in a blinding snowfall.

He lives in a 400 something square foot house and makes these huge quilts!  Live small, think big, I guess.

I talked to him at length about his huge quilts.  He and his friend with him had great smiles and a warm encouraging personality.  I had no idea who he was, but now I am on the lookout for him and his work!

The other exhibits I wanted to show you today were the Amish quilts. there were two historical exhibits.  First a bit of history, because I was slightly surprised to find the Amish in such a place in Alsace and Switzerland.

The Amish are a result of a split in the Anabaptist beliefs in the mid 1600's.  Those who left the community at that time with Jacob Amann of Switzerland were later called Amish in the US.  They settled in Sainte Marie aux Mines.  Whoa!

In Alsace area they are referred to as Daifer.  Remember that Thirty Years War (1618 to 1648) talked about yesterday, well the area was in chaos and was being taken over by the French.  Remember it went back and forth between who ever could hold on to it for the time being.

Lots of famine and fighting.  After the war the King offered land and tax breaks and Jacob gathered his group and came from Switzerland.  After a while he felt offended by the Anabaptist teachings and wanted to put more distance between them.

They were farmers, hardworking and productive.  Jacob wanted stricter religious rules including control of his parishioners simple attire and lifestyle.  They sought exemption from service which got them persecuted greatly.  They also wanted to avoid taking oaths, and would signify agreement by tapping their hand on another's hand.

And to make matters worse, they were successful farmers and the Anabaptists were very jealous.

Hence the trip to the New World in the 1830's.  They still spoke their German-Swiss and they brought with them quilting needles!

This display consisted of American quilts collected by European collectors.




I tried to take photos of the placards next to the quilts but didn't always get every one.  I did get some impressive ones, however.

 One thing to look at is a point I make in the presentation I give about the origins of the Modern Quilt Movement.  Many of the designs you see here, the simplicity of construction and the bold colors were the precursors to the Modern Quilt.

Can you see it in these old quilts?  For sure.

You really need to read the descriptions, some are pretty snarky!  LOL.

 This is one of the churches where this display was positioned.  Churches were the perfect place to display quilts with the vaulted ceilings and gorgeous ornamentation.  In deference to the simpler style of the Amish People, the church was one of the most simple ones.  Wait, I think this one was a theater in the town.  The other venue was a church.