My Crazy Quilt

Part Of The Quilt

People have asked me to display my crazy quilt which I had finished a couple of years ago. I purchased this quilt top at an antique show for $70. The fabrics on the quilt date from 1900 to 1950. As a textile major, I appreciate older fabrics and when I found this, I couldn’t resist the urge to own the quilt. The quilt was pieced and all I had to do was embellish and finish it.

 

This top is the size of a double bed which was pieced by machine. I believe the sewing machine was an older model after looking at the poorly constructed stitches. My mind’s eye can visualize a woman piecing the quilt on an old 201 Singer Sewing Machine.  When I bought the quilt, some of the fabrics were not flat on the foundation fabric. That is fine with me. This is a crazy patch and all is fair in the techniques you choose to use.

 

When I embellished the quilt, all the stitching was created with vintage rayon pearl. Old ribbon, lace, buttons and “found” objects are also collector’s items. You can find crochet gloves, coin purse and daisies from a 1920’s head band. In the 1970’s, I worked in a jewelry store and the watch maker gave me crochet samples of laces which his mother made. Dating back to the man’s age, I believe the samples are about 1930-40. (Roy Lafever just gave me 50 samples of fine crocheting! What a dear man.)

 

Everything on the quilt dates no younger than 1950’s. I have some of my old hair ribbons, hand painted ties, kimono and vintage clothing. The backing fabric is polished cotton.