Patti Mahoney

So I got this bright idea to make a crazy quilt with tons of embellishments that I've collected over the past year. I have almost all of my blocks finished, hand stitched them to a solid fabric. I want to sandwich my top with batting and a backing fabric. My question is: When I start to embroider and add embellishments, Do I sew on embellishments, trinkets, charms and embroider, etc before I sandwich or do I sandwich and then add the decorations/embellishments???? I've ordered a few books on crazy quilting but none of them have arrived yet. I guess I'm jumping a little ahead here but I wanted to start getting my floss, trinkets, charms, etc etc etc together but if I have to sandwich and quilt first, no use in getting that stuff together just yet. Thanks for any help! ! ! .........Patti

quilter1943

Search crazy quilts on line and look at your library. There are some excellent books. If you want to do a traditional crazy quilt, they're usually not quilted in the sense that we know quilting.

Jingle

I have never made a crazy quilt, if I were to add embellishments, I would add them as the very last thing I do.

LadyElisabeth

You are correct, crazy quilts usually did not have batting, but you could use a thin cotton if you thought you wanted that. Embroidery would need to be done before you added batting. but embellishments would probably need to be added after you quilted.

Tartan

Do your embroidery by hand or machine before making the quilt sandwich. It will be too thick to do it after sandwiching the quilt. Add your trinkets and embellishments at the very last so they are not in the way for quilting.
P.S. If you want to machine embroider as the quilting, keep to a more simple open design so your machine can handle the bulk of the sandwich.

Jackie Spencer

Traditionally crazy quilts were made by sewing your fabrics to a foundation piece of fabric, I use muslin. Then the embroidery, silk ribbon embroidery, beading and charms are added. I have never used batting. After all my embroidery and embellishing are done, I add my backing, using thread the same color as my backing , and working from the front of the quilt, I tack the front and back together with tiny discreatly hidden stitches, scattered across the quilt. Then add binding.

Patti Mahoney

I'm hand sewing the pieces for the top and plan to hand quilt the whole thing. All of the embroidery will be done by hand as well. I love handwork. I think anyone, well, almost anyone, can use a machine, I love the look and just knowing that I made a quilt all by myself by hand. I finished my King size GFG hexagon quilt top just this past fall, I need to sandwich it but I don't have the space to do it, I'm working on a place to do the sandwiching. But, my crazy quilt, I want to hand sew, quilt, bind, embroidery and add my trinkets/charms/buttons, etc, all by hand. Thanks to eveyone for your tips and suggestions.

stampinteresa

Sounds fun. I have wanted to one of those after doing a crazy quilt hand bag. Teresa

chergram

Just how would you quilt it I have started piecing but just wonder how to quilt it by hand I am planing on doing all by hand or maybe just have backing fabric how does one look if not quilted would love to see picture also i crochet and was reading where it says that they use to put crochet lace on I am thinking of crocheting small square with size 10 cotton yarn and see how it looks any way sounds like fun and I like that you do not have to match seams

sewingitalltogether

I love the www.pintangle.com website. You can get ideas on assembling the blocks, detailed pictures on the stitches and embellishment ideas. She has a block of the month. When I did my crazy quilts, I used a cheap muslin. Stitch and flip pieces. Then ironed a visible lining to the back. It makes it thick enough that you don't need a hoop to embroider. I also used 3-5 pieces of lace and lots of beads, buttons etc on each block. Stitch around the edges of your block before you start the embroidery. You will find the blocks are fairly thick. I didn't use batting. And tied the corners with the knot in the back instead of quilting. Used all kinds of embroidery threads, dmc thicker threads, silk ribbon embroidery.