Crazy quilting , the craze in the 1890s and has reappeared in the last couple of decades with a vigor unmatched in Victorian times. . Popular in the United States from 1880 to 1910, was heavily influenced by the Japanese asymmetrical aesthetic, specifically by the patterns found on Japanese crackled-glaze ceramics. The design trend was initially spurred by Japanese art displayed at the Centennial Exposition of 1876 in Philadelphia.

 Crazy quilts from the past are amazing collections of techniques, history, and fantastic skill.    Godey's  Lady's Book* was filled with suggestions, patterns and hints for the making of these creations, and women ate them up.  The carefree designs of the Crazy Quilts broke away from the strict boundaries of traditional geometric patchwork and Log Cabin Quilts. Crazy Quilts are most often constructed in blocks using the foundation method. Upon each cloth foundation block, the quilter randomly pieces odd-shaped luxury fabrics such as velvets, textured and printed silks, silk ribbons, or a rich variety of wools. The pieced surfaces are lavishly embroidered, and some are painted. The blocks are then stitched together, backed, and usually tied rather than quilted. Filet crochet was very popular at this time and  patterns for embroidery were often used .Pieces of Jewelry, fancy buttons and pins.

Each Crazy Quilt’s pattern is distinct yet reflects the popular aesthetics of the Victorian era in the United States when women decorated their homes with a profusion of “fancywork.” Crazy Quilts were often used as decorative throws. The highly embroidered surfaces of these quilts reflect the material culture of the Victorian era derived from postcards, calling cards, and advertisements in ladies magazines of the time. Leisure time was the ultimate luxury . If a man could work hard enough to provide his wife with luxury time, she was expected to fill that time with the fanciest stitching, and show it off!  Where better than on a piano cover, over the back of the sofa, or thrown on a footstool?  

The way to begin to Crazy Quilt is just to begin. So grab your fabric, a needle and thread, and start stitching right now. There are no rules.  No pattern is wrong. No mixture of stitching techniques is improper. No mixing of threads can threaten the washer. All color combinations are allowed. You simply can't do it wrong.  You can combine threads, fabrics, and all manner of objects, because this is the quilt that is for viewing not using.  

Cut an eight inch square of fabric, say, for example, from a piece of muslin. This will be your base, what you will stitch your other fabrics to. Then get out a variety of fabrics and pick out a couple of them. From one, cut a odd sided piece. Hold it down in the center of your muslin block right side up and lay your second fabric against it, face down, with the two seams matching. Stitch along that seam. Open the second fabric up and trim the two edges even with the first fabric.

Pick out a third fabric and line it up, face down, over one of the seamed sides. Match the seams and stitch along that seam. Again, open it up and trim the two edges. Continue covering your block in this fashion. Another form of Crazy Quilt is made by using a variety of odd pattern ,stitched together with no specific matching and  displayed as a great conversation piece. The biggest idea is to have fun and enjoy it.