Snapshots 8: Amish Rugs

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Erik Wesner has a blog posting on Amish Rugs today. The question at the end “Anyone own an Amish rug?” brought out the mischievous streak in me, and I couldn’t help posting this.

I do have Amish rugs:

Amish Rugs

The woven rug in front of the door is a typical Amish rug. The oval one was braided with strips of wool by Mem for my fortieth birthday. She was the only woman I knew in my home community who braided rugs, so this is not as typical an Amish rug.

I also have some ex-Amish rugs in my house. I usually prefer being referred to as former Amish, but when it comes to my rugs, I don’t care if you call them ex-Amish. These are rugs I made just in the last five years. I learned the trade from Mem.

Ex-Amish Rug

Ex-Amish Rug

I treasure the rug my mother made for me and I also like my ex-Amish rugs. They fit my house, and they fit me. They braid together the three different strands of my life: my Amish life, my transition years, and my life as a “Yankee.”

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15 Comments

  1. Johanna on April 10, 2012 at 7:05 pm

    I like your house. It’s so simple and your rugs are nice 🙂

  2. Jeo Fazzio on April 10, 2012 at 7:23 pm

    Nice pictures of modern area rugs.

  3. Jan AKA Wammy on April 10, 2012 at 10:17 pm

    I have seen many quilts made from thee same “Amish” colors. Very nice. And what beautiful hardwood floors you have!

  4. Erik on April 11, 2012 at 9:10 am

    Nice rugs Saloma, both the Amish and ex- versions 🙂

  5. AverettLadyNana on April 11, 2012 at 10:55 am

    Love the rugs you made and the one your Mem made. I’m sure you treasure the one she made for you.
    My grandmother made rugs. She died ten years before I was born but my uncle lived in my grandparents home and they were on the floors there. Hers were different, rectangles and squares. Daddy said she made them on a loom. Never saw any liked she made. Wish I had at least a picture of them. Often wonder what happened to them.

  6. Patty13637 on April 11, 2012 at 11:12 am

    Lovely

  7. Vicki on April 11, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    Your rugs are beautiful and your house is lovely, I’d love to see more of it {kitchen). Vicki

  8. Carolien on April 11, 2012 at 7:11 pm

    Hello Saloma,

    Your rugs are all so beautiful! How special you have one your mother made for you.
    The colours are wonderful!!!

    Have a nice day & Dutch greetings, Carolien

  9. Vero on April 12, 2012 at 6:57 am

    Hello Saloma,
    always a pleasure to read your blog

    nice rugs, so beautifull

    greetz from Belgium,
    vero

  10. Peggy on April 13, 2012 at 4:15 am

    Love, love, LOVE those rugs!! They really set your room off, nicely. I also love the fact that your mom made one for you just a few years before she died… how special is that?!

  11. The Sprouting Acorn on April 14, 2012 at 12:03 am

    Simply wonderful! I wish I would have learned the crochet rug my great-grandmother used to make… we have a few that survived the years, but there’s never enough to pass down to all the generations. You have a wonderful gift in your rug making.:)

  12. AJ on April 14, 2012 at 3:25 am

    My Grandma had a big rug like yours in her kitchen. I had no idea that they were amish. She did buy them from a local woman, who to my knowledge was not amish. Maybe in her past family history. Very interesting!

    Have you thought about teaching a class? I would love to learn!

  13. Anonymous on April 14, 2012 at 4:09 pm

    I love your beautiful rugs. Can you tell us, are they made of cotton or wool?
    I’m glad to see you here again. I missed reading as you were traveling!

  14. Monica @The Mennobrarian on April 17, 2012 at 3:52 pm

    I took a rug braiding class once, and was terrible at it. It did not come naturally to me. The colors in your rugs are beautiful. When I was at a store in Apple Creek a few years ago I saw a different type of Amish rug for sale. It was small fabric triangles overlapped on a large single scrap of fabric and sewn by machine in a straight line. The effect was very different. But I think the braided rugs are timeless.

  15. Lynn Kimmerle on May 2, 2012 at 2:01 am

    Saloma, your rugs are beautiful. I’m so impressed with your talent!

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