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Daphne Oct 3, 2005

Did you all know that the Amish intentionally make a mistake in their works of art?
Every quilt, for example, will have one piece in the wrong place or it will be the wrong color or just going the wrong way. None of their quilts are perfect on purpose. This is because the only One who is perfect is God. To make something perfectly would be God-like and unacceptable as humble Christians.

So, the next time you are trying to make perfect eyelids or come up with the perfect name or .............. remember that you are human, not perfect! It's OK!!  :angel:

  :hug: , Daphne

gotobedbears Oct 3, 2005

I make patchwork quilts and always include a square that does'nt quite match and when i do tapestry work i do the same sort of thing, adding a stitch in a different style etc.

It's a lovely idea is'nt it? But it did'nt originate with the Amish - it has been a tradition for centuries now - maybe because it allows us to make mistakes!

Penny 

Pipa Oct 3, 2005

Wow that is wonderful

Eileen Oct 4, 2005

Daphne is absolutely right!!

On some old Amish quilts, you can actually see a patch that doesn't match the color of the rest of the quilt, or a bit of quilting that goes astray on purpose, or a square, for example, made of unmatched triangles.

For the same reason, Amish dolls typically have no faces--or they have faces, but no features, just blank cloth. Rather neat looking. Bears ditto. The maker must not rival God or make 'graven' images.

This has always bothered me a bit. Does it mean that if the quilter didn't deliberately include a mistake, the work would be perfect? Doesn't this defeat the purpose of showing humility? Just wondering!  :/

Eileen

Daphne Oct 4, 2005

Well, I'll never be able to make a perfect quilt so I guess I won't worry about it!   

matilda Oct 4, 2005

"Brilliance does not mean perfection"  or something like that.

I'd hate to enter a quilt show then, if I was Amish. OK, ......then if I leave a note for the judge at the next bear show explaining my mistakes are intentional.......

kbonsall Oct 4, 2005

I never knew this!  very neat to know... I live in pennsylvania, not far from Lancaster where a lot of Amish people live - it is a really neat place to visit, they have all kinds of neat shops with quilts, jams and jellies, woodworking -

Jellybelly Bears Oct 4, 2005

I love that Daphne...great to remember