How to Interlock Crazy Quilt Pieces

Crazy quilts are meant to be whimsical, "anything goes" creations. Use fabric scraps of different shapes and sizes to make up your quilt blocks and then embroider and embellish the blocks with buttons, beads, ribbons, charms, lace ' add any decorative touches you desire!

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Buttons
• Embroidery Needles
• Embroidery Scissors
• Embroidery Threads
• Muslin Sheets
• Ribbons
• Scrap Lace
• Batting (optional)
• Beads
• Dressmaker Shears
• Fabric For Backing
• Fabrics
• Quilt Binding
• Sewing Machine
• Sewing Needles
• Thimbles
• Threads
• Charms

1. Cut enough squares out of plain, unbleached muslin to render the desired quilt size. Make each square the same size. Typical muslin squares range in size from 12 inches to 20 inches. (Add ¼ inch for a seam allowance.)

2. Gather enough fabric scraps to cover all the quilt squares. Use cotton, silk, satin, velvet, taffeta ' whatever you like. Just make sure that the fabrics are pre-washed and not too stiff or heavy.

3. Choose a fabric for your quilt backing, pre-wash it and cut it to your desired quilt size.

4. Place a fabric scrap anywhere on one muslin square, right side up. Place another scrap, wrong side up, on top of the first. The two scraps can be different sizes and shapes as long as they share a common edge. (The edges do not have to be the same length.)

5. Line up the edges of your two fabric scraps and either hand or machine sew the scraps to the muslin about ¼ inch from the lined-up edges. Flip the top piece of fabric over so that the right side is now up.

6. Cut a third fabric scrap so that one edge will be long enough to cover the raw edges on one side of the joined fabric scraps. Place the third scrap on top of the other two, wrong side up. Make sure that the raw edges line up as much as possible, and sew ¼ inch from the edges.

7. Continue to add fabric scraps in the manner described above until each muslin square is filled. Remember that there are no "wrongs" or "rights" to crazy quilts. Cut and trim the fabric scraps as you go, or plan out their pattern ahead of time.

8. Use feather, blanket, chain or other embroidery stitches to embellish the sewn fabric scraps at the seams and on any other portion of the quilt square. Add other decorative items such as buttons, beads or ribbon as well.

9. Sew the quilt blocks together in the desired pattern. Make sure that raw edges are lined up evenly and use a ¼-inch seam allowance.

10. Place the quilt top on your backing fabric, wrong sides together. Baste the top to the back, and use quilt binding to bind the edges together.

Tips & Warnings

• Take into account that your quilt block will be about 1 inch smaller in every dimension after you have sewn and embroidered it.

• Use blocks that are proportionate to your project size. For example, use smaller squares for pillows or handbags and larger squares for quilts.

• Place batting (optional) between your quilt top and backing before binding the edges of the quilt.