Crazy quilts were born during Victorian times and were inspired by Japanese asymmetrical art. Making them became quite the rage for women, and they were usually made from velvet, silk and brocade, cut and pieced in random fashion and with decorate stitching (fan, feather, and chain, for example) covering each seam. While crazy quilts appear haphazard, they were very carefully planned and arranged. Although crazy quilts were originally made by women in the wealthy classes, other women (hurrah) eventually got in on the fad and began making their own. Some were made from scraps of fancy, used clothing of the day handed down by wealthy relatives and friends. After 1900, the style was adapted to everyday fabrics like cotton, denim and flannels, and at that point the seam embroidery was often left off.
My friend Shirley gave me some helpful hints on how to use iron-on bonding fabric (I used Heat 'n Bond), attaching it to several pieces of fabric, then cutting them up, piecing them onto the page background, and then ironing them on to the backing.
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| Pinning down |
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| Ironing on |
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| Finished base |
Both Shirley and Benedicte helped me out with tutorials on stitching, and I used several of the traditional crazy-quilt embroidery stitches on the edges, along with couching some hemp string and some sari ribbon.
Finally, my mixed media muse encouraged me to decorate some of the sections with hand painted hearts, flowers and birds, and I did some embroidered scenes in others. And I made a heart with a stamped "Stitch in Time" title for the center of one page.
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| Finished page |
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| Finished page |
Hope you enjoy this as much as I did! As always, feel free to email me if you have any questions about how-to's.
16 comments:
Beautiful page Teri. I love the painted elements added to it.
absolutely lovely...great combo of content & color! :)
Gorgeous - what a talent! I love the painted element too!
Hi Teri
You have done an amazing job for your first piece. I have been doing crazy quilting for many years but have never tried that technique at all.
Love your hand painted touches as well.
Great job - Liz will be utterly wrapped!
Have a great week!
xox Suzy
They are amazing and I'm sure will delight the artist who will receive them. Beautiful work.
Lovely as usual! My oldest is moving home soon and he has started to get interested in crafting. We're planning on turning this gigantic desk we have in the basement into a crafting center. I can't wait!
It is just beautiful, and a real labor of love. The details are wonderful, and I'm sure the recipient will be thrilled.
So beautiful, Teri!!!
I always enjoy seeing the cross stitch and other embroidery that ends up on crazy quilts organically, and your pretty quilt is no exception. Thanks for sharing, xoxo.
Oh, my Gosh!!!
It is so beautiful in PERSON!!
My pages (book) arrived today!
I LOVE every stitch...and hand painted detail!
the back of the pages are wonderfully matched too!
Love crazy quilts and love this!
What a really pretty quilt and I love the history behind how they started.... very interesting!
Gorgeous, It makes me want to take up sewing!
That looks adorable!
This is lovely, Teri.
CQ is my favorite art form with fabric. it allows you the opportunity to delve into stitches and fabrics from the past. just love the CQ you made and the blend of techniques. my favorite author and CQer is Judith Baker Montano. oh you can make some lovely baby things in CQ
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