Amish Shooting

[JaneYoung]

When I was 37, I wanted to learn to quilt. An Amish woman taught me in her classroom. I was surrounded by young girls beginning with the age of 4 up through 7 who were in the classroom working on their quilts that were in various stages: piecing, basting, and applying the binding. There was a row of 9 treadle sewing machines that the older children and the teacher used to apply the binding to their quilts. The machines would whir with their feet pumping the treadles as fast as could be - only the 6 and 7 year olds were allowed to use those machines. During the class, the 4 year olds would approach me with a suggestion on how to clean up my points (stars) and to encourage me. When it came time for the treadle machine, my feet went up/down up/down very slowly - as they whirred away and giggled behind their hands at my awkwardness. Finally, they kindly offered to keep my quilt and binding until my next class and they applied it for me.

At a very young age, these girls learn responsibility to their community and self accountability. They would see the decision made as the right thing to do in their quiet way.