Crazy Quilts

     Modern day Crazy quilts are quilts that are made by covering a foundation piece of fabric with odd shaped pieces of fabric, and usually include fabrics other than cotton, such as silk, velvet or wool. The fabrics include embellishments with intricate stitches and items such as buttons and silk flowers. The crazy quilt has fancy stitching on almost every seam.

     Originally, the piecing together of bits of fabric was done out of necessity from Colonial times. When their clothing and blankets began to wear out, they were patched together until the cloth could no longer hold thread. Worn parts were cut away and useful pieces were sewn together.

     There are two types of crazy quilts, one in which small pieces of fabric are sewn together like a puzzle. The second was made of scraps of silk, velvet, satin, cotton, and linen and sewn together in blocks. The blocks were then sewn together to make a quilt.

     In the mid 1800's these quilts were no longer made for comfort or warmth, but were made to exhibit a woman's needlework proficiency.

     In the late 1800's, crazy quilts were made to record family history, with names and birthdates embroidered in the quilt. These quilts were now becoming more known for the intricate needlework and embroidery. In some quilts the fabric was hardly visible.

     Women went to great lengths to get free fabric scraps. Part of the fun was to collect fabric scraps without paying for them.

     Crazy Quilting was so popular that tobacco companies inserted small pieces of silk fabric in their cigarette packages.

     Today, there is a renewed interest in crazy quilting. The artist today is using the idea and taking it to new heights. Patchwork Easyas Method

Rag Quilt Instructions