These Amish quilts inspired Esprit clothing designers; here's a chance to see them up close

For years, Amish quilts from Lancaster County decorated the San Francisco headquarters of Esprit.

Company co-founder Doug Tompkins collected abstract quilts and hoped their design, color and workmanship would influence employees as they created sportswear.

Dozens of his quilts are now part of LancasterHistory's collection, and Saturday, Nov. 9, several of these quilts will be on display.

"Lancaster County Amish Quilts from the Esprit Quilt Collection," is the latest Collections Up Close program. The last Esprit Quilt showings sold out, so there will be two presentations Saturday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at LancasterHistory, 230 N. President Ave. Tickets are $15 for non-members. To register, call 717-392-4633 or register online .

Jim McMahon, LancasterHistory curator and director of collections, and Nick Siegert, visitor services associate, will showcase quilts including Baskets, an Amish-made quilt from 1935, and Lone Star, an Amish-made quilt from 1920. They'll share more about several quilts' history, cultural significance and the women who crafted them.

The museum's quilt collection also includes a miniature quilt that's been in space .

Read on for more about local quilts in the museum's collection: