The first block sits in the top left hand corner of the crazy quilt has a dominant tone of grey. For this reason it is possibly one of the least attractive blocks in the quilt.
A you can see there are 6 areas, each of a different fabric. I used some unusual fabrics in the quilt.
The goal of this quilt, was that it is a Y2k quilt with 2001 different pieces. By pieces I mean 2001 patches of fabric, bits of lace, trim, buttons etc. I had trouble making up the number as this block was pieced towards the end of the process. By them my supplies were more than a little depleted. Hence a bit of creativity and imaginative use of fabrics was called for. I used fabrics such as stretch lycra, and a polyester knit. My tip is that if ever you have a stretch fabric you want to use in a crazy quilt block. Before you make up the block interface the fabric then sew it to the block.
Fabric content:
- Piece 1: Is a high stretch lycra fabric which was a scrap from a costume I made.
- Piece 2: A grey crepe
- Piece 3: Polyester
- Piece 4: Polyester knit which was also used in a costume
- Piece 5: Is a polished cotton found in a curtain store in one of their swatch books.
- Piece 6: Polyester
As you can see I am not a fabric fanatic. I use polyesters as well as the traditional silks, brocades and velvets found in crazy quilting. I feel the crazy quilters of the past would have used anything that was attractive so I do the same. Not everyone feels this way however and each to their own as there are no rules in crazy quilting.
Item Count:
- Fabric: 6 Pieces
- Braids, ribbons, trims or lace: 5
- Buttons: 9
- Charms: 2
- Total items on block: 22
How I embellished Crazy Quilt Block 1
The first detail runs along the side of piece 5. I covered the seam with a commercial trim and further embellished the edge with Straight stitches and French knots. The French knots were worked in a hand dyed thread (by me) that is the same weight and thickness as perle 5. The black straight stitches were worked in black coton a broder. I wanted the stitch to echo the shape of the V on the braid in order to pull it together a bit as the block was very scrappy. At the same time I wanted to introduce a muted colour otherwise it would have looked a bit dull.
The trim was found in remnant bag in a costuming shop in London where I lived for a year. It was not long after the Notting Hill Festival and interesting scraps were very plentiful in fabric shops around the district. The metallic like ribbon that zig zags across the braid picks up the light and reflects different colours.
This seam is treated with an old favourite, using Rayon ribbon floss I worked a line of Feather stitch which I topped off with a gold bead.
In this detail that runs up the middle of the block covering the seam between patch 1 and 2 Herringbone stitch using perle thread #8 sits both sides of a some lace. This lace is piece of cheap scratchy ugly black nylon lace I had but I think it fits OK and when you look at the quilt it is not noticeable at all.
Below the beads are 4 stitches called Tulip stitch which also called Slipped Detached Chain stitch. It is a variation on detached chain stitch as you work a chain stitch with a long anchor stitch and simply thread a second thread under the anchor stitch. You can make this threaded stitch once, twice or more. In this case I have done it twice first with the black thread and second with pink. I used a pink is a hand dyed thread the same weight as cotton perle #5. The black thread is a thin coton a broder which is the same thickness as cotton perle #8.
The row of 4 unusual shaped beads were stitched on with the same black thread as the tulip stitch.
The cluster of buttons acts a key point of focus on the block. The bee is actually a button. The heart is a a glass charm. There is a mix of modern and vintage buttons. Half a black lace motif of a flower cut from nylon lace sits under the buttons. A fine thin silver and black braid runs along the seam under the buttons. Some large beads are also sprinkled in between the buttons.
This series are great to learn crazy quilting techniques, give you ideas on how to embellish your blocks and what stitches to use on your Crazy quilt seams. Each block is documented alongside a free crazy quilt block pattern. With each block I explain which stitches I used to cover the seams and I link to tutorials in my Stitch Dictionary. The technical details are included such as what threads I used, on what type of fabric, dyes used and if applicable I include design notes.
If you want to learn Crazy Quilting here are the links to the free crazy quilt block patterns in the series:
Block 1, Block 2, Block 3, Block 4, Block 5, Block 6, Block 7, Block 8, Block 9, Block 10, Block 11, Block 12, Block 13, Block 14, Block 15, Block 16, Block 17, Block 18, Block 19, Block 20, Block 21, Block 22, Block 23, Block 24, Block 25, Block 26, Block 27, Block 28, Block 29, Block 30, Block 31, Block 32, Block 33, Block 34, Block 35, Block 36, Block 37, Block 38, Block 39, Block 40, Block 41, Block 42, Block 43, Block 44, Block 45, Block 46, Block 47, Block 48, Block 49, Block 50, Block 51, Block 52, Block 53, Block 54, Block 55, Block 56, Block 57, Block 58, Block 59, Block 60, Block 61, Block 62, Block 63, Block 64, Block 65, Block 66, Block 67 Block 68, Block 69, Block 70, Block 71, Block 72 , Block 73, Block 74, Block 75, Block 76, Block 77, Block 78, Block 79, Block 80, Block 81, Block 82, Block 83, Block 84, Block 85, Block 86, Block 87, Block 88, Block 89, Block 90, Block 91, Block 92, Block 93, Block 94, Block 95, Block 96, Block 97, Block 98, Block 99, Block 100
All articles in this series can also be found in the Crazy quilting category and the Crazy quilt details category
If you enjoy this series you may be interested in a tutorial I have written. How to work decorative crazy quilt seams is a comprehensive tutorial converted to a pdf file. When I converted it I realised how comprehensive it was. At 19 pages of information it is a mini ebook and resource worth investigating! The follow up article Ideas for Embellishing crazy quilt blocks with more than embroidery covers how to embellish seams with lace, braids, ribbons, button and beads.
The back story to his quilt is that it is a Y2K quilt which means I Dropped the Button Box contains 2001 unique pieces of fabric, lace, braids, charms, buttons or ribbons. Hence the fabric and items count. At the time I used the blog to keep track of the count. So everything on the quilt is different. It was a way of using a sample of all the bits I had been hoarding! A problem arose when I realised I did not have enough fabrics and items so I hit the button box hard. If you want to see where each block sits on the quilt and know more about the I Dropped the Button Box a Millennium Quilt you can find information about it here.
My book on Crazy Quilting
My book The Visual Guide to Crazy Quilting Design: Simple Stitches, Stunning Results shares detailed practical methods about how to design and make a crazy quilt.
From fabric choice, to balancing colour, texture, and pattern, in order to direct the eye around the block. I cover how to stitch, build decorative seam treatments in interesting and creative ways. This book is profusely illustrated as my aim is to be practical and inspiring.
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Shanon, which the size of a block for quilt?
Its a 6 inch block
Thanks
I’m working on a crazy quilt. I Have about 1/3 of the blocks make. I used baby clothes and special fabric and sewed it on muslin. I am wondering how I will quilt it after it is put together . Help!
Hi Judy – crazy quilts are not quilted as such – but are tied . I have written a series of posts on How to assemble a Crazy Quilt which includes how I tie them . They are listed on the tutorials page ( halfway down) here https://pintangle.com/tutorials/
do you back your fabric with muslin or anything.? and do you work on one block at a time and then put it together or do you make the entire quilt and then embellish….I am gonna try to make one, and If I can save the money I want to take your class….Love your work.
Sharon, you are my hero — for using lycra, polyester and any and all fabrics if they fit. So many people almost have a hissy fit if you just mention the word “polyester” to them. I certainly don’t want to wear polyester (or lycra), so what else to do with it but put it in a CQ? Thank you for this enormous task you’re undertaking of documenting this quilt. I love it.
Zandra I have just re-worded the copyright notice I hope to make it clearer
Hi Zandra and anyone else who is interested in using the block design. I put the copyright declaration there so that anyone wanting to use the block patterns can – providing they are for personal use and they do the right thing. In other words that they attribute the pattern to me and if they are a blogger etc they must link back to this site so people can find them. They are effectively free designs and as I blog each stitch detail it will develop into a very comprehensive guide as there are 100 blocks.
So simply put people can use the diagrams as a pattern for their own quilt etc but link back where ever its possible
Sharon, I love the way you are breaking down the blocks. Blocks are the hardest thing for me. I know I would like to know and I am sure others too – do you have a problem with us using your blank block as a base for our own quilt. I have been doing my own and really ended up with a lot of loooong seams, besides being the part I like the least. Thanks, Zandra
Sharon, I didn’t think I would see anything I had not scoured over in the past.LOL But I was very wrong, In block 1 ,I thought the gray bumps were beads/knots and to now see they are raised fabric is a very new lesson for me. I had pictured the same dots in 4 were also an embleishment. Now I realize they are a wonderful fabric has helped. and I too love the look the block creates! Have to make notes… rene
Thanks for the comments folks
Kathryn – your comment about the block being over balanced is valid but remember it sits in the top left hand corner of the quilt- hence it ‘leaning’ to the right. It looks balanced in its location if you know what I mean.
Virginia this is a sloppy composition for a block as the right hand side has one long seam to break up – which I did with the buttons – but it could have been better
Least attractive block? I’m eager to see the rest close-up! I really appreciate the outline of your basic crazy pattern here, showing how the different blocks are put together. That is something that still intimidates me when I’m trying to decide how to puttogether a block.
Le sigh….
I’m not sure why you call this square unattractive. I think the greys, blacks, whites, and metallics look very stylish and modern. I can see an entire jacket made with this mix of ancient and modern. If anything is a bit overbalanced it might be the buttons over buttons, but I understand that you were trying to include as many different things as you could to reach that magic 2,001.