Crazy quilts have no set pattern. Instead, they are made up of a bunch of fabric scraps of various sizes and shapes, with embroidery stitches and embellishments to decorate the quilt. Here, imagination is the key and you can do anything you want to do. Intrigued? Ready to get started? Well, here's how you can make your own crazy quilt. Best of all, it's really easy to do.
Start by gathering all your materials. Here's what you will need:
The quilt will be made up of a single piece on the back of the quilt and multiple squares on the quilt top. Each square on the top is first done individually and then all the squares are pieced together. Finally the backing and the top are attached together to finish off the quilt.
The first step is to pre-wash all your material. Then, set aside the fabric scraps and the fabric you choose for the backing of the quilt. Next, determine the size you want the quilt to be. From those dimensions, figure out how many 12" x 12" squares you will need, remembering to account for seam allowances. For example, a quilt that is 88" x 99" will need to be 8 squares across and 9 squares down, for a total of 72 squares.
Once you have figured out how many squares you need, you will have to cut them out. For the squares, we will be using the muslin fabric you selected earlier. Cut the muslin into squares of 12" x 12". Then set them aside in a pile.
From the pile of squares, choose one. Place your fabric scraps nearby and randomly select one. The scraps will be attached to the muslin squares, one at a time. Place the first scrap anywhere on the square, right side up. Select another scrap and place it over the first fabric scrap, but this time, make sure the second scrap is facing wrong side up. Line up the edges of the scraps and sew all three layers of material together, either by hand or with a sewing machine.
Flip over the second scrap, so that the right side is now facing up. Select another piece of scrap fabric and place it over one of the scraps already sewn onto the muslin square. Again, make sure that the scrap you selected is facing wrong side up. Line up edges of the scraps and sew them to the square. Repeat this step until the square is completely filled. If you need to, you can trim the fabric scraps to better line up the edges.
Repeat these steps until all the squares have been finished. At this stage, you can add any embellishments that you want to. You can use embroidery stitches along the seams of the fabric scraps. If you like, you can also add buttons, beads, lace, ribbon or anything else you like to the top of the quilt.
Now it is time to attach the squares together. You may notice at this point, that the squares are no longer the same size. That's perfectly normal. Since the squares are now different sizes, you will need to make them the same size. Since you started with squares of 12" x 12", the new size should be 11" x 11". To get them this size, cut a sturdy piece of cardboard into a square that is 11" x 11". Turn your squares over and using a chalk pencil, trace the cardboard square onto the muslin side of the fabric for each square block.
Next, flip the squares over and arrange them in a pattern or order that is pleasing to you. Sew the squares together to form the top of the quilt. If you like, you can add batting between the top and the back of the quilt, but it is not necessary. The back of the quilt is formed from a simple piece of fabric, which is usually one piece if the size of the fabric allows. Next, line up the top, the back and the batting (if you choose to add it) and baste the edges together. Finally, bind the quilt and remove any excess threads. If the quilt is large and quite heavy, it may be necessary to tie the top to the back of the quilt.
Congratulations! You have now finished your very own crazy quilt. Show it off with pride and satisfaction on a job well done!
Looking for fabric your crazy quilt? Then check out our selection of Sewing Fabrics & Kits. Choose a variety of fabric - from simple prints to bold and crazy prints!
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