According to the Ohio Amish country guide, shoppers looking for handmade quilts and other local crafts on the back roads of Amish Country will enjoy this stop in a quiet Ohio location.
The name describes the setting: Scenic Quilts and Crafts perches on a hillside in Farmerstown, Ohio, overlooking the rural countryside and white farmhouses of Holmes County. The small shop is located on a state highway, yet it seems out-of-the-way, apart from the constant traffic and busyness of better-known shopping areas in Ohio’s Amish Country.
This quilt shop is not a stop for every one. Those uninterested in fabric art or visitors bored with shopping will prefer other activities to amuse themselves. But for those who are looking for a genuine, hand-quilted piece–large or small–it’s worth the drive to Farmerstown to browse the goods in this little white shop. This store is for anyone who not only wants to shop but also enjoys exploring the less-traveled byways and villages of Holmes County.
Farmerstown itself seems far removed from the busy shopping areas of Holmes County, even though State Route 557 runs through the center of town. But the highway and the town are relatively quiet, and it might be in just such a little town as this that shoppers in Amish Country find exactly what they’re looking for.
If shoppers are looking for handmade items, then Scenic Quilts and Crafts belongs on the “must stop” list. Most of the goods inside are handmade by Amish or Mennonite women, and there’s a wide variety to suit many tastes and budgets.
Authentic Handmade Quilts of High Quality
Holmes County is known for quilts painstakingly pieced and stitched by skilled fingers, and there are a number of quilt shops in Amish Country that offer colorful and artistic fabric masterpieces. Some quilts sold in the area, though, have not been handmade and may even be mass-produced or imported. So it’s important that the shopper who is concerned about authenticity knows how and where to find a quilt that is both hand-quilted and locally made.
Mostly pieced in traditional patterns and in beautiful color combinations, finished quilts line one wall of Scenic Quilts and Crafts. Fannie Yoder, the owner, is not only adamant that her quilts be hand-quilted, but she also wants her merchandise to be of high quality. As with any craft, some quilters are simply more skilled than others; and even though a quilt is hand-stitched, it might be poorly done. Although most of the quilts come from women Fannie knows and has dealt with before, she keeps a constant eye on the quality and does not accept poor workmanship.
Local Crafts Include Handmade Bags and Woven Rugs
Also popular are handmade bags in colorful florals and patterns. Some bags are appropriate for books or travel; others are sporty and casual handbags. Crocheted doilies in various sizes and styles add a Victorian touch; there are finely stitched placemats and runners and others are in a tea party or pineapple patterns.
A table displays throw rugs in a pile of texture and color. Some of these are not handmade but still have a cottage look. Those that are handmade are created from strips of fabric, torn and rolled into large balls, then woven into patterns of color; and although these handmade rugs may have the same fabrics and colors, no two are exactly alike.
Smaller items also include coasters and aprons and hot pads, all made locally. Those wonderful quilts on the wall may carry price tags of anywhere from $500 – $1400, depending on the complexity of the pattern and quilting. A fluffy bedcover from Amish Country is a major purchase. So if a new quilt is not in the budget at this time, then a smaller item might be the perfect memento of a day spent exploring the quieter back roads of Amish Country.
Buying a Quilt in Amish Country gives more tips on finding an authentic Amish quilt, and quilters looking for supplies and inspiration for their own projects may want to read Quilt Shops in Amish Country.