Pennsylvania Dutch Hex Signs. The Pennsylvania Dutch were actually Germans. Their “hex signs” were painted on barns, carved into furniture, and hammered on to utensils. They were thought to bring luck, love, abundance, and ward off misfortune, such as fire or lightening.  Hex signs were traditionally known as “sech circles” because the first signs all included a six-pointed star in a circle. The Pennsylvania Dutch called them “hexerie” or “jinks”. They are usually painted in bright colors.