Crazy quilt question
 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]590088[/ATTACH]Here is my CQ pillow top. It has silk and velvets and polyester fabrics. I have put iron on interfacing on the back of it. Am I supposed to put batting on the back of it before I do the embroidery? I have 4 books on CQing and not one of the mentions this aspect. Thanks for any advice.

I've never done a crazy quilt, but I've done a lot of hand embroidery. I can't imagine trying to embroider thru batting. I'd do it without batting using an embroidery hoop.

The CQ's that I've seen are embroidered before you put batting and backing on. This said, there is a new trend that embroiders through the batting so you don't need a hoop to keep the top fabric taut. I've never used this method. I've always embroidered with a hoop or frame. This probably doesn't help you much....LOL

I have a frame I am planning on using. I couldn’t imagine embroidering through batting, but I can’t imagine how to add batting after either. Or at least how or where to put quilting stitches after all the embroidery.

I did a small CQ cushion. Instead of hand embroidery, I used the fancy stitches on my sewing machine (metallic thread and some bobbin work.) This was done before sandwiching up (because of the bobbin work). The beading was done last because I was worried I would hit one with the needle. I finished it off by machining a glass bead fringe that was on a ribbon, "birthed" it, stuffed it and slip stitched the opening closed.

HettyB

I'd do the embroidery first, add the batting and then outline stitch a few of the pieces, either by hand or machine. If it's a pillow top, you really don't need to quilt it to the batting. Or how about just SITD around the frame to secure the batting?

Ok. I’m forging ahead without batting. You know, even after I’m done, it might not need batting if a put a fluffy pillow inside. Hadn’t thought of fringe on outside. Thanks for the idea!

If you go to a quilt show, you will see crazy quilts and most don't have batting in them. Years ago, Crazy quilts were used to show off their hand work and not made for bed quilts.
If I was going to make a crazy quilt for a bed, I would do the deco stitches, then sandwich the batting and tack it at the corner of each block.

I agree that most crazy quilts were not used as bed quilts which makes perfect sense because they were made with a lot of delicate fabrics and embroidery that were not washable. I would probably just SITD around each block and if that was not close enough, do a bit of quilting in each block. Maybe outline an embroidered design.

I'm working on a little topper right now, that had you do the hand embroidery with the batting before you do the rest of the project.

Or, I read somewhere, CQ was tied to backing-after all embellishment and embroidery was done, knotting in back.......

I usually put a sheet of interfacing on the back of my project before I start hand embroidery - just baste it around the outside edges. Then I have the option of using a hoop or not. If making a pillow I always sew batting behind the embroidery - it makes for a nicer finish

I would hand embroider, sandwich and then SID also

Do you want texture in the embroidery? If so, quilting through thin batting and cheese cloth layered in a hoop will work if you are hand embroidering it. I would hand stabilize it before hand, and them have fun. If you want the embroidery to be the prime focus and only textured by stitching, then I would just do it through the pieced square since it is reinforced by the interfacing. For machine embroidery, follow someone else’s advice, since I have no clue.

Since the pieces were pieced onto a fabric square, my grandmother did not use batting. She attached the backing and embroidered the pieces. That is also how I have done it. Makes a light weight cover.

I have read that the crazy quilt was lightly attached to a backing just to hold it in place. I don't know how it was done.