Buying an Amish quilt?.
Tips for making a good purchase.

Buying a quilt is no different than buying anything else. Do your research: know what you want, what makes it a quality product, and where to buy it.

Knowing what you want is a matter of personal choice. What style: applique'? Whole cloth (click on photo for more information)? Patchwork? Something in a traditional pattern or more modern? That is up to you and I can't help you there.

The second question is a bit easier, what makes it a quality product worth purchasing? The Old Country Store in Intercourse, co-located with the People's Place Quilt Museum, has a hand-out titled "10 Important Questions to Consider Before You Buy a Quilt". All ten questions are valuable, but perhaps Question 2 is the most so for our purposes here: "What important qualities does a good quilt have?:
1. Is quilted abundantly, evenly and with small stitches.
2. Lies flat, isn't crooked, and doesn't have any puckers.
3. Has many patchwork pieces which are precisely pieced so that the pattern is clearly maintained.
4. Has applique' stitches that are hidden and fine.
5. Has straight and tightly stitched binding on both front and back.
6. Has well-coordinated colors which are striking."

And, of course, is aesthetically pleasing to you.

The final question is where to buy it. That's a tough one to answer since there are MANY places selling quilts throughout the area, and most of them handle quality merchandise. If you follow the guidelines above I suspect the major variable will be price, and that the higher of those will be in the areas of tourist concentration. That said, you may want to try the previously mentioned The Old Country Store. Another place with a large selection is The Quilt Shop at Miller's Smorgasbord.

Among the many other stores you might consider are the three highlighted on the "An Amish Day Trip" tab: Glick's Food and Crafts, Countryside Road Stand, and Riehl's Quilts and Crafts. All three are off the beaten path, run by the Amish so they have no web site, and may have lower prices.

All of the above not withstanding, I think the lowest prices you might find are at the so-called "mud sales" run by local volunteer fire companies in the spring (see the LOCAL tab under SHOPPING). That is, if you're here when one is scheduled and have the time to wait until the one you want comes up for auction. There is no guarantee prices will be lower, but I think that's a pretty safe bet in general. If you choose this avenue be sure to do your homework first and examine your choice carefully before the auctioneer goes into action.

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