How to Do Victorian Crazy Quilts
Creating Victorian crazy quilts is a perfect way to use up fabric scraps. Quilts can be constructed with any type of fabric, but cotton offers versatility in color and pattern and is the easiest for the novice to handle. If you are already a quilter, but haven't tried your hand at a crazy quilt, you may enjoy the creativity of this quilt style. These quilts are like snowflakes; no two are alike. Your combination of fabrics will be different from anyone else's choices. You will place your fabric pieces in a different manner than anyone ever has. Once you understand the basics and have completed your first quilt block, you will be planning many more Victorian crazy quilt projects.
Things You'll Need
- Fabric scraps
- Muslin
- Scissors
- Measuring tape
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Straight pins
- Iron
- Embroidery floss
- Embroidery needle
Instructions
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1
Gather a combination of colors and fabric styles from your scrap pile. Purchase additional fabrics, if necessary, to go with the ones you have. You will also need a piece of muslin fabric for the backing. The size will depend on the finished quilt size you prefer. For the purpose of these instructions, purchase a length 1½ yards. This is enough to make a 48-inch-square lap quilt top.
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2
Cut the muslin into squares of 12½ inches. Each square will be used to create a crazy quilt block.
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3
Place a piece of pre-cut scrap fabric, right side up, in the center of the muslin square. Use a straight pin to keep it in place.
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4
Choose a second piece of fabric and place it overlapping one of the edges of the first fabric. This piece of fabric should be wrong side up. Sew a seam that catches both pieces of fabric, while it also goes through the muslin square.
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5
Flip the second piece of scrap fabric, right side up. Press the seam flat.
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6
Place another piece of fabric, wrong side up, overlapping one of the other fabrics. Sew a seam as before. Flip the fabric right side up. Press the seam flat, again. Repeat this process until you have covered the whole square of muslin with different scrap fabrics.
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7
Cut any excess fabric that may be overlapping the muslin square edges. Turn the piece over so you can easily see the edges of the muslin square, when cutting. Remove the straight pins. Repeat this process for the remainder of the muslin squares.
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8
Turn the crazy quilt square back to the right side and embellish it with embroidery stitches (see resources). Embellish each crazy quilt square.
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9
Sew the squares into rows, with a ¼ inch seam. For a lap quilt, sew 4 squares to a row. Sew the rows together, one beneath the other with a ¼ inch seam. This will complete the top of your crazy quilt. Finish the quilt in the manner you desire.
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Tips & Warnings
To create an all-over crazy quilt pattern, add fabric scraps to one large piece of muslin cut to the size of the quilt.
Finish your quilt according to your own preference. Some crazy quilts do not have batting and are finished with a backing fabric alone. However, you may choose to add batting to the quilt and finish it by using the tie method (see resources).
