Crazy quilting does not have to be in the Victorian style or a heavily embellished style if that is not your taste. It can be rough and in the latest “privative style” as there are no rules in Crazy quilting and there is no reason why it can not combine with other styles.
You do not have to have an overly feminine or fussy piece with loads of lace, ribbon and ‘pretty’ embroidery. You do not have to add buttons and mementos. There are no rules in crazy quilting.
You can if you wish use simple stitches and leave it at that. There is no reason to develop complex stitches if it is not your thing. There are no rules in crazy quilting.
It does not have to constructed of rich fabrics or natural fabrics. You can use any fabric you want to from quilting cottons, to wool blankets, from synthetic after five fabrics to batik and ikat weaves if you like. There are no rules in Crazy quilting.
It does not have to be pieced around a 5 sided patch. It can be hand pieced any which way you want it. You can piece in curves angles what ever pleases your eye as there are no rules in Crazy quilting.
You can do anything with crazy quilting and it’s OK. It’s just up to you as to what direction you take it. There are no rules so the only limit is a limit in your imagination.
And one last bit of advice for anyone that tries to limit your imagination just grin and ignore them… and just incase you didn’t get message there are no rules in crazy quilting…
Needless to say this post is a as a result of and email. Feel free to comment, or blog about it. If you do write about it on your blog drop by and leave your URL so people know.
These rules helped me to pick up my CQ block again! I wrote about it here:
http://fat-quarter.blogspot.com/2009/03/trellis-stitch-5.html
No rules is great. I made a distinctly non-Victorian CQ for my daughter, who is not the lace and frills type. I loved doing it and she loved it, too.
Sharon, could you point us to some examples of more contemporary or non-Victorian type CQ’s. I would really like to see some.
You can say that is a crazy quilt or embroidery better, it must have a board to be this way?
ah I’m working on something to see if the public before your next activity month … besos
I used to work with a lady who had several dresses I really liked. I kept trying to convince her that short sleeves would be more flattering, or that the dresses were a few inches too long. Unfortunately, she never fell for it. She would have voted for that first rule.
As for the other rule, do you mean dead animals would be okay? In the Penny McMorris book, isn’t there a quilt with some chipmonks or squirrels (some little furry animal)?
Seriously, one of the reasons I love crazy quilts is that whatever I decide to do will fit in. No rules! Every CQ I see, no matter the style, has something that I admire.
Linda – I sprayed coffee over the screen when I read your comment I agree your two rules are probably the only two I would suggest people observe
Kate there is no larger image for these icons I just made them that size as I got tired of posts without images. I have ooddles of them up my sleeve to use.
I love the colors in the image with th web and spider. I am wondering why when I click on it there is no choice to enlarge.
Do you have a link to that image so I can see it up close? I just like it!
Thanks and Happy New Year!
Me Again! lol I think your message of NO RULES is good, Lots of folks don’t do Crazy Q because they think they are not able to keep the high standard for each block, thinking lace and stuff. Years ago I did one not knowing anything about the construction . To make it bigger I set all in black borders and strips. It served the purpose of keeping us warm. Then in 04 I decided to pep up some blocks that were on their last legs. Then I found ‘inaminuteago” and the stitches were flowing, and I was learning. I didn’t tear it apart, I just added to. And I am so happy I did. Now it is a conversation piece. visit my Flicker to see. Reneorgeron
http://flickr.com/photos/81133706@N00/sets/72157594539332832/
Sharon –
Thanks for the reminder! The only guideline I use is to challenge myself to try something new a few times a year – a color scheme I wouldn’t normally use, a new embroidery stitch, an unusual embellishment…
I’d also like to be able to teach more friends to crazy quilt – freely pass on the gift of this fun art form to others. Crazy quilters (fabric artists in general) are a generous bunch, and I want to “pay it forward” too.
Yes, you’re perfectly right
I was about blogging about it, so I made an answer to your post here :
http://quilt-creations.blogspot.com/2009/02/crazy-lecien.html
Cecile, in France
🙂 As far as I am concerned the only way that any set of rules is ever useful in any art form is as a means of providing a structure within which to work and practice. The rules for Haiku or Sonnets are useful because they force a writer to push and stretch his/her skills and vocabulary in order to create a poem that is perfectly true to the form. That is how I view rules about quilting, too. I recognize that constructing a perfect log cabin or flying geese quilt would hone many of my skills and make me a better quilter overall if that was my goal.
Crazy quilting is like free verse poetry. There are no rules – you don’t even need to use proper grammar! This does not mean that you can do sloppy work – just that there are no rules & constraints that rigidly define the form. I find that to be exciting and inspiring and that’s why I check in here almost every day.
Oh I dunno about this. I reckon there are TWO rules.
1. It is not nice to cut up other people’s clothes when they are still wearing them (exceptions can be applied to helping them shorten hems or remove unwanted shoulder pads).
2. It is not nice to sew live animals on crazy patch.
Can’t think of any others, but I still think those two apply.
Well said Sharon.
hear ye! hear ye!
haven’t given it a try because i’m not a frills and bows person.now i know that grunge is ok too.
neki desu
Me again!!! love your work. can’t wait to drop of kids at school then it’s my time to read your blog before i start working. Have a nice day!
Hooray for no rules. I am on my third crazy quilt and I have people keep telling me I should add beads or I should interface the necktie fabric or… They are not making the quilt and I am.
I do like making up rules for myself, though. I put a spiderweb on every block but mostly make it match the background. I put a butterfly or a bee or a spider on each block. I use a different stitch and color for every seam on the block (except french knots, which seem to creep in on almost every seam).
Hi, Sharon!
I have followed your blog for years now – I started when I stumbled across Inaminuteago – and just wanted to let you know you’re one of my favorite sources for inspiration and eyecandy. I agree with you. No rules. 😉
Thanks for all you do!
And I am so very happy about the “No Rules!!”