Thread: Question about making a crazy quilt

My DH once me to make him a crazy quilt. I always go by a pattern when I make a quilt so I showed him pictures of what it would look like. He doesn't like the fact that you can see that each crazy block was trimmed into a square and then sewn together. The crazy quilt he remembers from his childhood seemed more like just one large piece of fabric made from odd shaped scraps with no seams where the blocks were joined together. I know I am not describing this clearly, hopefully someone will understand what I'm trying to say.


Does anyone know how to make a crazy quilt so that you don't see the seams where the individual blocks are sewn together? I have looked at pics of vintage crazy quilts and in most of them, you can see where the blocks are joined. Occasionally I will find a pic where you can't see where the blocks were joined but I can't see how they achieved this effect.
Any ideas?

Yes, I understand what you mean. You basically would make a 'whole cloth' crazy quilt. Start with a piece of muslin a few inches larger than the finished quilt top. If you want to use batting, you would need to baste the batting to the muslin very securely all over. Batting is up to you, many crazy quilts don't use it. If you can talk your husband into it, I would do without. Start in the middle, and baste your first piece down. Keep adding scraps using the sew & flip method, embellishing as you go. Sometimes you won't be able to cover an awkward join of 2 fabrics with a sew and flip. In this case you can fussy cut the correct shape and applique it over the join. Just keep adding fabric out to the edges.
Because of the bulk it obviously is much, much easier to do squares, but it can be done.

Originally Posted by PaperPrincess

Yes, I understand what you mean. You basically would make a 'whole cloth' crazy quilt. Start with a piece of muslin a few inches larger than the finished quilt top. If you want to use batting, you would need to baste the batting to the muslin very securely all over. Batting is up to you, many crazy quilts don't use it. If you can talk your husband into it, I would do without. Start in the middle, and baste your first piece down. Keep adding scraps using the sew & flip method, embellishing as you go. Sometimes you won't be able to cover an awkward join of 2 fabrics with a sew and flip. In this case you can fussy cut the correct shape and applique it over the join. Just keep adding fabric out to the edges.
Because of the bulk it obviously is much, much easier to do squares, but it can be done.

Thank you so much for the detailed explaination, PaperPrincess! I will try your suggestion of starting with a "quilt sized" piece of muslin. It will be a large lap quilt so I think I will be able to manage it!

Let him look at Google Images and see if there is a quilt he likes:
https://www.google.com/search?q=craz...w=1015&bih=606
The only thing I can think of is based on the wonky block. This is why I don't make custom quilts anymore. Good Luck! Explain to him it is not that easy.

Originally Posted by ManiacQuilter2

Let him look at Google Images and see if there is a quilt he likes:
https://www.google.com/search?q=craz...w=1015&bih=606
The only thing I can think of is based on the wonky block. This is why I don't make custom quilts anymore. Good Luck! Explain to him it is not that easy.

ManiacQuilter, thanks for the link, he did like some of those quilts pictured. I already explained to him it wasn't easy. He laughed when I read him your response!

can you tak him into a 24" block/ it will be easier for you that way.
Why doesn't he like the blocks, too planned looking for him. Good luck and show us what you do.

Originally Posted by lovelyl

My DH once me to make him a crazy quilt. I always go by a pattern when I make a quilt so I showed him pictures of what it would look like. He doesn't like the fact that you can see that each crazy block was trimmed into a square and then sewn together. The crazy quilt he remembers from his childhood seemed more like just one large piece of fabric made from odd shaped scraps with no seams where the blocks were joined together. I know I am not describing this clearly, hopefully someone will understand what I'm trying to say.


Does anyone know how to make a crazy quilt so that you don't see the seams where the individual blocks are sewn together? I have looked at pics of vintage crazy quilts and in most of them, you can see where the blocks are joined. Occasionally I will find a pic where you can't see where the blocks were joined but I can't see how they achieved this effect.
Any ideas?

some of the time they used embellishments ON TOP of the seams -- don't think he would be able to see the seams then....lace was the most common when two seams were joined....as well as different embroidery stitches...they look so fancy -- they are gorgeous pieces of art!

I have also seen ric rac on the seams -- the crazy quilt I have is a combination of fancy stitches, bits of lace and bits of ric rac covering the seams. The quilt was made for a VFW Auxiliary auction, my grandma scavenged many of my dad's ties and an old army blanket. The blanket was the batting, the backing is flannel and it is very, very warm. Each of the ladies pieced and decorated the 24" blocks any way they wanted, then assembled them and did the decorating over the joining of the blocks so it is obscured.