Those of you who know me know I love to craft, particularly crochet. The Amish also love handmade items, and I often include characters who either craft for a hobby/home usage or as a business.
In Love in Plain Sight, Katharine weaves baskets, and in a cute twist, Ezra asks her to teach him.
Over the years I’ve collected several Amish baskets. Not only are they lovely, sturdy, and useful, I almost exclusively choose ones crafted by children and teenagers. You’ll also see baskets made by adults, but I don’t see a difference in the quality and I love supporting young crafters.
Here are two small baskets I bought on my trip to Ohio last year. Notice the age of the makers. 🙂
In Amish country there are many stores that sell “Amish” baskets, but they’re not always made by the Amish. When I look for genuine baskets, I make sure to check the bottom to see if the weaver signed their work. I have some baskets that don’t have a specific artist’s name on the bottom, but the name of the family business and the address. One is Gingerich’s Baskets in Apple Creek, OH.
I don’t weave baskets, but I have crocheted a few. This one is large enough to hold a several of my books. 🙂
This next one was an idea I had to upcycle old computer disks. I crocheted ten granny squares and crocheted two together to form a pocket, then inserted a disk and crocheted them closed. Then I crocheted the sides and bottom together. It’s a quick project to make—I just need to write down the pattern.
I used this basket as a holder for some artificial greenery. I also made the doily.
As you can see, I’m a little obsessed with crochet. So is Cevilla Schlabach, a recurring character in my Birch Creek books, who also features in Love in Plain Sight. She’s an avid crocheter, and rarely without her hook and yarn. She also rarely stays out of other people’s businesses, and that includes Katharine and Ezra.
Each month I feature some of my crochet projects in my Books & Hooks newsletter—you can sign up for it here. I also hold monthly contests where I give away an autographed copy of one of my books, along with one of my crocheted items. 2022 is the year of scarves and I’m giving away a scarf a month.
If you’d like to enter to win an autographed copy of Love in Plain Sight and a crocheted flower that can be used as a magnet or pin (backing not included), answer this question in the comments of this post: What crafts do you enjoy?
She has a secret she’s determined to keep. He’s just as determined to get to know her. These two strong wills clash in beautiful romantic sparks in this Amish rom-com.
Katherine Miller arrives in Birch Creek under the guise of looking for a husband, but really she is hiding a secret she can’t reveal. The small Amish town becomes the perfect place to wait until she can figure out her next move. But when Ezra Bontrager is hired as the Stoll Inn’s new handyman, she at first finds his interest in her annoying. The one time she needs men to ignore her, she can’t seem to shake this one—and try as she might, she eventually can’t help but find his persistence endearing.
Ezra has never been shy when it comes to making friends, and he’s determined to get to know the elusive Katherine a little better. What he doesn’t count on is falling for her or discovering the real reason she’s hiding in Birch Creek.
Giveaway starts today, Tuesday, May 3rd and ends Tuesday, May 10th and is only open to US residents (sorry!). One winner will be selected at random and announced on Wednesday, the 11th in the comment section of this blog post.
69 thoughts on “Amish Crafting: Guest Post and Giveaway by Kathleen Fuller”
I too crochet and knit mostly baby clothes
I love going to the Dollar Tree and buying their wooden items to be painted, or I will buy their blank canvas boards and paint on those. It’s relaxing.
I too love to go to Dollar Tree and get craft materials, beads, etc.
I love to see and paint
I love to embroider, macrame and paint, do simple craft projects.
I used to crochet and do counted cross-stitch, A LOT, and even sold a lot, but my hands won’t let me anymore.
wfnren at aol dot com
I feel your pain. Arthritis is not fun.
Love in Plain Sight sounds wonderful. I like to grow flowers.
I like to sew and knit. Counted cross stitch was a hobby many years ago too.
Sadly, I am not at all talented when it comes to crafting. I am “all thumbs”. So, I stick to reading, tv, and enjoying the talents of others.
I love all your crochet things you make. I tried to but I just can’t seem to get it.
Over the years I have done different crafts, but now I love to read Amish fiction and we travel with our motorhome. Thanks for the chance to win. Have a blessed day.
Congratulations Deborah! You are the winner of an autographed copy of Love in Plain Sight and a crocheted flower. Please watch your email for details on how to claim your book. Thanks for entering!
Thanks for the chance to win. I like to crochet and cross stitch.
Thank you for the chance! I love gardening.
I love Amish books. They are so easy to get drawn into and carried away with.
I enjoy knitting and crochet, and I also like to sew.
I enjoy knitting and crochet. I also like to sew.
Paint on canvas, crochet and make jewelry. Love to read Amish books
I don’t craft much but I love to buy Amish crafted items like baskets, dolls and wood. I appreciate the talent people have in their crafts!
love to read Amish books & do hook rugs
I love to cross stitch. I make pillows and pictures.
I Can’t Wait Too Read This Book As These Books Are The Only Kind I Read. Looks So Interesting.
Quilting
I love diamond painting and also painting
I love to do counted cross stitch, card making, scrap booking, sewing, and Reading
I love to crochet. I am on #90 of the baby afghans I make for the NICU. Also have made 107 prayer shawls/lap robes that my church gives away. In the winter I like to make scarves and stocking caps for the needy. I rarely ever keep anything I have made. That’s how my mother did it and that’s how I do it.
I also love collection Amish made baskets and make sure they are for sure Amish made with the bottom signed.
I love pretty much all crafts although I’m no good at them all lol, I still like to try.
I love my Amish baskets that I bought when we went to the Girlfriend Getaway in Ohio. I like to crochet, counted cross stitch, and am trying to learn my Cricut.
I crochet, sew, starting to dabble in quilting and make as much use of my Cricut machine as possible whether it is for signs, t-shirts and other clothing items, I make cards, and recently ventured into faux leather earrings and keyfobs. It is all great fun and keeps my creative mind active after so many years of working on other important but mundane projects at the office!
I do not do much crafting but I love going to Amish sales and flea markets, but my favorite pasttime is reading and walking .Thanks for the chance to win!
I love to make cards and jewelry
I’m not a crafty person although I used to enjoy painting ceramics. At one time it was real popular and I would buy them and paint. I just enjoy others handiwork.
I do know how to crochet, but not very well. My crafting consists mainly of making cards, decorating them & writing poems.
I can’t wait to read this book! I love to read! I also really enjoy knitting and crocheting but I haven’t worked with cotton fine enough to make a doily yet.
I am not very crafty but I like to make Christmas ornaments from seashells.
I would love to read this book.
I love to do all kinds of crafts and sewing. I love to try new things.
Thank you for this chance❤️
I don’t really craft, but enjoy and admire the crafts that other people do. It amazes me the things people can do.
I love collaging!
I use to do all kinds crafts but not so much now I’m older I like to read more. I do like to do counted cross stitch once in a while.
I love to do counted cross stitch, I knit and crochet but not well.
I used to crochet but my fingers won’t let me.
i like to cook and bake. i know those are necessities but they can be hobbies too. i like to cross stitch also.
I love to knit but had to stop, I gave away a lot of knitted thngs but my eyesight is bad due to glucoma.
I have a lot of Amish baskets. I use them for lots of things I made a vow to use my pretty things and not to save them because no one is promised tomorrow……
I too have purchased from The Gingrich family and always ask them or anyone I buy from for a signed one or to sign and date them. I love to see the happiness on the children’s faces when you purchase one of their own creations….
I’m all thumbs when it comes to crafts would love to be able to do some and would love to win this book hope I still have the chance!
Making cards for family and friends.
I use to do a lot of latch key rugs. You can make pretty pillow tops or hanging for your walls. I can’t do them anymore because arthritis has my hands disable so that I can’t do them anymore. So my hobby now is reading. Thank you for the chance to win.
I love to crochet. Now that I am retired I have started to quilt and do some glass etching. Knitting is on the list to learn next.
Besides reading, I like to knit.
I am not really into crafts. I mainly read though I have tried knitting when I was younger.
I am not crafty, so I’ll have to say I don’t enjoy crafts. The closest I come to crafts is my teacher bulletin boards.
I use to love to crochet, but haven’t done so in many years. I need to pick that up again! My reading and genealogy has distracted me!
I like to bake and try out new recipes.
I have crocheted blankets for all family . Now O crochet handtowels I cut in half & sew for my stove and refrigerator handles. I also love riding my own motorcycle and messing with my house plants and outside flowers.
Stain glass
i dont do crafts but love amish crafts! When i was younger i did crafts like latch hooking and embrodery!
My mother in law taught me to crochet many, many years ago..I use to crochet for my kids when they were little, hats, mittens, scarfs, sweaters..Made many afghans…But all that stopped when I had to get out in the work force..Use to read also…Now that I am retired I am back to my favorite pass time, reading..Intend to start crocheting again.. Love your crocheting, the red, white, blue little basket is beautiful..
I am not that crafty, but, do enjoy doing embroidery and love reading. I do enjoy canning from our garden.
I used to crochet but can’t any more as it hurts my hands and wrists. That’s from working in manufacturing for 30 years. I am still able to quilt but have to do more sewing on the machine than by hand. Love to make baby quilts for charity.
Loom knitting mostly. I use round looms with pegs. Easier to do with arthritis.
Recently I made a plaque from an old board. I painted it, used a stencil and painted the letters for “love”, and then glued on a couple of silk flowers. It turned out really cute. I’m normally so busy working that I don’t have much time for crafts although I enjoy them. I do love to read and choose to use my spare time reading.
i love cross-stitch and making garden decorations by re-purposing items
I know how to quite a few crafty things such as knit, quilt, macrame, sew, embroidery, make jewelry, do stained glass, pressed flower crafts, scrapbook ingredients, card making and a dozen other things but right now the only thing I’ve had time & energy to do in the last couple years is making herbal remedies. I have had almost ZERO downtime these last few years. I’ll circle back around to them all eventually.. God willing and the creek don’t rise. ?
Quilting is what I like to do. Table runners, quilts
Besides reading I love quilting! Kathleen’s Books sounds amazing!
I like doing paper crafts (making cards is my favorite), knitting on my looms (I have wood and plastic knitting looms–those oval, round, or rectangular looms in the yarn aisle), knitting, and Tunisian Crochet. Thank you for a chance to win!
Beautiful baskets.
Next time I’m in Lancaster County PA I’ll have to be more vigilant at finding handcrafted baskets to purchase.
Great book, storyline, and series.
Happy Writing and crocheting.
quilt, sew (mostly pillowcases), hand embroidery, wool applique` & card making! (I live in the county above Holmes county, and LOVE the quilt shops in Holmes county! 🙂 )