Quilting is a popular winter occupation among Mennonite women in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Approximately 100 hours of work go into each quilt, but quilting parties are also social gatherings where "many hands make light work".
Provenance
Photographs and slides donated by Discover Lancaster/Pennsylvania Dutch Country Visitors Bureau, June 2016.
Quilts and the social atmosphere of a "quilting bee" are authentic parts of Lancaster County farm life. Here area women demonstrate their art at the Pennsylvania Farm Museum at Landis Valley. Originally quilts were pieced from scraps and worn clothing, but although the traditional patterns remain the same, today's examples of the quilter's art normally begin with new fabrics. A typical applique pattern uses 300 to 1500 individual pieces, plus an infinite number of stitches.
Provenance
Photographs and slides donated by Discover Lancaster/Pennsylvania Dutch Country Visitors Bureau, June 2016.
