Instructions provided courtesy of guest Betty Pillsbury.
Materials:
nine-inch square of muslin
nine to 10 scraps of fancy fabrics
embroidery threads as desired
trims or embellishments as desired
sewing needle and thread
For a nine-inch crazy quilt block, a rough rule of thumb is to have about nine pieces of fabric (figure A). You can have more or less, but for beginners, this is a handy method to determine a starting point. When you choose your fabrics you may want to start with a focus fabric (a multi-colored print). Coordinate the other fabrics around this print. Try to have dark, medium and light values of fabric. Remember, your embellishments will also add to this color scheme.
Steps:
1. Start sewing! You will be sewing through the muslin square as a foundation each time you add a piece of fabric. This is to help stabilize the fabrics for as many pieces that will be cut on the bias. Pick up your focus fabric and one of the coordinating pieces. Lay them on the muslin foundation right sides together, making sure you are starting off center. Sew a 1/4-inch seam. Press the seam, open the seam and press again (figure B).
2. Add a curve.Because we are looking for odd lines and nooks and crannies within our piecing, now it is time to add a curve. Cut a piece of fabric with a flowing curve. It really doesn't matter the exact shape of the curve. Iron under a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Place the curve onto the fabrics already stitched down on the muslin. Play with the placement until you like the results. Now, applique the curve onto the fabric (figure C).
3. 52-card pick-up. I like to think of crazy piecing as 52-card pick-up. As the cards come fluttering down, some land side-by-side, some land partially on top of another and some land completely on top of others. This is the look we are going for with crazy quilting. So, lets add a "card" that is partially on top of another card. Pick up another piece of fabric. Iron under 1/4-seam allowance along one edge. Decide where this piece will go on your block. Have it jutting out onto another piece, don't line up the straight edges here. When you have decided where to put the fabric, flip the new fabric over, so it is right sides together, sew a 1/4-inch seam along the raw edge. Sew, press, open the seam, press again. Now, applique the turned-under edge you ironed (figure D).
Continue adding pieces around the block by straight sewing, appliquing curves and creating nooks and crannies. When all the pieces are sewn, flip the block over. Straight stitch a scant 1/4 inch around the perimeter of the block. Square up the block. Now you are ready to embellish with buttons, pins, etc. (figure E).
Resources trims and beads embellishments - Flights of Fancy
Flights of Fancy Inc.
Fort Worth, TX
Toll-free Phone: 800-530-8745
Website:
www.flightsoffancyboutique.comtrims, beads and fancy fabric
Pepperell Pepper Patch Works
Phone: 978-433-3377
E-mail:
info@pppatch.com
Website:
www.pppatch.com
trims, beads, fabrics
Victorian Cottage Treasures
Porthill, ID
Toll-Free Phone: 877-428-2322
Website:
www.victoriancottagetreasures.com
Quilting Arts Magazine
Quilting Arts Magazine
Patricia Chatham Bolton, Editor-in-Chief
Stow, MA
Toll-free Phone: 866-698-6989
Website:
www.quiltingarts.com
Guests Betty Pillsbury
Textile Artist and Instructor
Teaches and lectures on crazy quilting and other needlework techniques.
E-mail:
bpills@midtel.net
Website:
www.bettypillsbury.com
Also in this Episode
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