The oldest extant Amish quilts date to the last third of the 19th century. Amish women brought sewing skills, but not the tradition of quiltmaking, with them from Europe in the 18th century. Amish women came late to the practice of making quilts. Many of the oldest dated Amish quilts, including this one, feature simple geometric pieced patterns in muted colors. 

Pattern: 
Bear's Paw
Maker: 
Clara Bontranger
Dated
1874
Probably made in
Holmes County
Ohio
United States
81
68
IQM, Ardis and Robert James Collection
1997.007.0340