Crazy Quilted Embellishment

Many of you out there online are just discovering crazy quilting.

Some of you though are just as experienced as I am with this form of art. So do add your own spin in a comment at the end.

I've been asked at workshops what makes my crazy quilted pieces look old fashioned.

This was not an intentional act on my part, simply a happy accident. But from all the comments at workshops and this blog, its made me rethink what it is that I do.

The following are my own thoughts on what makes a crazy quilt look 'old fashioned.'
  • I rarely use only 100% cotton.
  • I love slippery fabric with some stretch to it.
  • I often include bits and pieces of used clothing into my work.
  • I mix and sort through shades and I do use a color chart occasionally.
  • I often don't really "THINK" about it. I believe that this thinking about is what turns people off.
  • I also don't believe in calling a quilt "crazy quilting" just because you may have done some embroidery on the seams. To me, this is just adding embellishment to your beautiful seams, it's not crazy quilting.

This as yet unfinished little piece is embroidered on wool. But it is not a crazy quilt.


In the photo above, if you look carefully, you'll see a hand made running stitch on a wonky curve. This is how I make curves in crazy quilted work.


I am not a perfectionist and rarely do I get self-conscious about how wonky my stitches are as seen in this close up above. This was a part of the Smithers 2013 Centennial Quilt.


If you look closely, I'm twirling an ordinary yellow/gold fabric and couching it down to the whole piece.


In the photo above, you can see this cute little robin, has some yellow whip stitches on its breast. I glued down the outside rough edge of bird motif and stitched over top with rick rack.



I have left the seams and I go anywhere my heart desires as I embellish my blocks.


This is one of two, all cotton crazy quilts. I kept to the seams on this one and further embellished with machine quilting.


My Purple CQ above has dozens of original designs in hand embroidery stitches on the seams and elsewhere. There are no rules in crazy quilting.


My Beach House CQ went to the International Quilt Festival tour of several cities in 2013 as part of O Canada special exhibit.



Something about ordinary 100% cotton does not really excite me when I sit down to make a crazy quilt. These crazy pieces made themselves useful in a wee little table runner.

I'm working on edit and re-editing today and thought it was helpful to answer some of the questions I've received about crazy stitching.

Back to editing, have fun with the rest of today!

Comments

  1. Beautiful quilts Caroline! I think it is the eclectic mix of stitches, patches and fabrics which makes a crazy quilt look old fashioned but they still have a place in our modern world! Have a nice weekend! Christine x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well said Christine! Thanks so much, I love to read what followers think. Feedback is encouraged. Stitching and working on my blog this weekend.

      Delete
  2. Thanks for all the details - interesting reading.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://culturalfusionquilts.blogspot.ca/

      Thank you for leaving me this lovely comment! please do visit Sujata's link above.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thank you for commenting!
I think its neat when other's feel compelled to write a comment. I check on notifications frequently. If you are a no-reply commenter, please leave an email address if you wish to hear back from me directly.

Popular posts from this blog

Hexie Quilt Top WIP

Sashiko Sockeye Bowls

A little bit of stitching...