Crazy quilting does not actually refer to a specific kind of quilting; instead it refers to a kind of patchwork. Originating in the late 1800s during the Victorian era, the word crazy was used to mean not only wild but also broken or crazed into splinters; a good description of the look the various triangles and other odd shapes gave to these quilts.

The first use of the word crazy, to describe a random, asymmetrical pattern in needlework was in the ‘Cultivator and Country Gentleman’ in 1878. It referred to an embroidered canvas cushion, to be passed among friends. Each would invent and embroider her own design and when finished it was returned to its owner.

Crazy quilting created a stir in the 1880s when it became quite a fad in the United States. Articles encouraging crazy quilting or condemning it could be found in women’s publications. Women could purchase packages of random fabrics, as well as already embellished pieces to use in their own crazy quilts.

During the first several years of the crazy quilting fad fine fabrics and heavy embellishment was the norm. As time passed quilters began to make simpler quilts in the crazy quilt style.

Because the careful geometric design of a quilt block is much less important in crazy quilts, quilters are able to employ much smaller and more irregularly-shaped pieces of fabric. In comparison to standard quilts, crazy quilts are far more likely to use exotic pieces of fabric, such as velvet, satin, tulle or silk and embellishments such as buttons, lace, ribbons, beads or embroidery.

Crazy quilting as a textile art is extremely creative and free-flowing by nature and crazy quilters will often learn as much about specific embellishments as they will about crazy quilting itself.

In recent times Australia’s Canberra Crazy quilters have used their skills to fundraise for survivors of the Katrina hurricane disaster in the USA. ‘All that Jazz’ was a project aimed at producing crazy quilts which were auctioned on Ebay in the United States. A total of US$1,503.57 was raised with the money going to Baton Rouge Area Foundation / FoundationsForRecovery.org [foundationsforrecovery.org] which was set up to help people displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

If you’re curious to find out more, type the words ‘crazy quilt classes’ into your Google search engine and you’ll find some free online classes from various quilters around the world.

Also take a peep at www.crazyquilt.com [crazyquilt.com]. This is the website belonging to the Crazy Quilt Society, a non-profit group based in Omaha, Nebraska. For a more local insight into modern craziness go to www.pintangle.com [pintangle.com] and meet a prolific author and stitcher.

See cindybrick.com [cindybrick.com] & classygirlquilts.com [cindybrick.com] Cindy Brick is an editor, designer & writer who travels the world teaching about quilting & its history.

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