A few iconic quilt patterns immediately suggest that a quilt was Amish-made (or at the very least, Amish-inspired). Bars quilts from the Lancaster County Amish settlement meet this criteria. Strippy quilts consisting of large bold stripes of fabric are not exclusive to this corner in southeastern Pennsylvania, but the restrained composition, wide outer borders, and magical colorplay seem distinct to the Bars—or as the Amish called the pattern, “Strema”—quilts from this settlement.

Pattern: 
Bars
Maker: 
Maker unknown
Circa
1890
1910
Probably made in
Lancaster County
Pennsylvania
United States
84.5
73
IQM, Jonathan Holstein/Gail van der Hoof Collection
2003.003.0088