75 Mennonite Quilts from Waterloo County, Ontario, Canada  
*
Page 1 (numbers 1-12)
Selections from this collection were on exhibit at the People's Place Quilt Museum in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania from March 21 to November 1, 2003.
In 1805 a group of disaffected Mennonites moved from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to Waterloo County, Ontario. The Mennonites are a branch of the Swiss Antibaptist movement that believed in conscious, that is, adult baptism. The strictest members broke away and became Amish or Mennonites. The conservative religious rules led to controversy over the brilliant colors and striking designs of the quilts.
This is almost certainly the largest collection of these quilts in existence.
#1   Nine Patch Variation
circa 1930's  72 x 84
very good
heavy wool felts
From: near Alma

#2  Nine Patch Variaton
circa 1920  76.5 x 81
mint, crisp
cottons
From: near Wallenstein
made by the same quilter as #28

 #3  Log Cabin -- Court House Steps
circa 1920 65 x 73
crisp
fine wools
From: near Winterbourne

#4   Joseph's Coat (Mennonite name)
circa 1940  72 x 86
good
coat linings, crepes
From: near Alma

#5  Log Cabin
circa 1910  80 x 96
crisp, unused, 1 moth hole
predominately cottons
(one of three nearly identical quilts made by a mother for her daughters -- see Page 2) 		#6  Bachelor's Puzzle
(Indiana Puzzle)
circa 1920-1930  73 x 78
good
sateens
#7  Eight Point Star --
Nine Patch
circa 1920-1930  70 x 76
good with minor weak spots in border   		 #8  Eight Point Star
circa 1890  
excellent
cottons
 #9  Eight Point Star
circa 1910-1920  71.5 x 85
unused but with a spot on back that shows through vaguely in one place
cottons

#10  Eight Point Star
circa 1910  70 x 82
mint, never used (minor brown spot)
cottons
From: near St. Jacobs

#11  Eight Point Star --
Nine Patch
circa 1920's/1930's
very fine (slight soiling)
cotton calicoes
From: Floradale 

 #12  Eight Point Star
circa 1900-1910  64 x 78
crisp, unused
cottons
Page 2 (numbers 13-19)      Page 3 (numbers 20-31)      Page 4 (numbers 32-43)    Page 5 (numbers 44-52)  

Thumbnails of the fifty two quilts pictured.

Please write us if you are interested in seeing the other quilts from the collection.
Digitial images above:
1. Some of the images have circles ("hot spots") that come from the camera flash.
2. The edges of the quilts are fine and normal, but, in the images, they appear rough. This is an artifact of the digital photography.
3. Every attempt has been made to achieve the original colors and brightness, however this was very difficult. Even if this had been possible, every computer screen shows colors in different ways.
4. The images are not to scale. Sizes are given with each.
5. Resolution of digital images miss the subtley of color, tone, and fine detail.
6. Heaviness, size, and emotional and spiritual power of the quilts are lost in the images.