Visual Guide to Crazy Quilting Design

Sharon Boggon trained in fine arts and developed great skill in contemporary embroidery and crazy quilting. She teaches internationally and online and has lectured on textiles at the Canberra School of Art. Sharon lives in Canberra, Australia. pintangle.com

Are you a magpie hoarder of scraps of fabric, fancy threads, shiny beads and odd charms?  Do you have leftovers from other projects, broken jewellery or old clothes?  If the answer is a loud yes (and it usually is with crafters) this is the book for you.  Repurpose all this junk (ahem stash of treasures) into something beautiful with this useful primer. I had heard of crazy quilts but was unsure what they were or how they were made.  You don’t need to be a quilter to make them or even own a sewing machine (although it helps) as after the irregular shaped pieces have been stitched onto a base the real fun begins.  It is all about surface decoration, taking a few simple embroidery stitches a long way and having fun with your stash.  This is not a book of projects as the nature of crazy quilting does not lend itself to this type of thing; it is all about what you have and what you want to do with it.  Instead the book guides you through what you need, how to do the basic part and then lets rip with a glorious range of different ways of embellishing your seams.  There are plenty of helpful diagrams and lots of examples of sections from finished work; it would have been great to have seen a Victorian sample but this is all modern.  It is the sort of book filled with color and instantly doable things that make a crafter want to raid their hoard and make something.  The author’s approach is very hands-on and suitable for anybody who has this type of stash, basic sewing skills and plenty of time.  However, as this is a craft that can be done on a lap it is ideal for relaxing with in front of the TV even this might not be a problem.  Highly recommended.

• Introduction The Process of Making a Crazy Quilt Project Choosing a Suitable Crazy Quilt Project Part 1 Crazy Quilting and the Encrusted Style The Foundation Fabric How Much Fabric? Fabric Choice Fabric Type Using Men's Ties Design Considerations When Choosing Fabric Sourcing Crazy Quilting Materials Part 2 Using Design to Take your Viewer on a Journey Emphasis and Subordination Movement Using Repetition to Create Balance Using Color Using Composition and Design to Manage the Bling Part 3 Piecing a Crazy Quilt Project Stitch-and-Flip Foundation Piecing Embellishment Decisions Including Lace, Ribbon, Braids, Doilies, Hankies, and More Adding Prairie Points Part 4 Stitching Starting and Finishing Thread Needles Silk Ribbon Embroidery Beads Marking Your Fabric Decorating Your Seams and Designing Stitches Combining Stitches Part 5 Stitches and Techniques Foundation Stitches Buttonhole Stitch (Blanket Stitch) Chevron Stitch Cretan Stitch Feather Stitch Herringbone Stitch Linear Stitches for Motifs and Flourishes Backstitch Chain Stitch and Chain Stitch in Silk Ribbon Couching Running Stitch Stem Stitch Motif Stitches Bullion Knot Buttonhole Wheel Detached Chain Stitch Fargo rose Fly stitch French knot Leaf stitch Straight Stitch Part 6 Adding Beads, Sequins Buttons and Charms to Your Block Using Beads, Sequins, and All Those Fun Shiny Bits! Bead Tassels Using Sequins Creatively Don't Forget to Add a Spider! When to Stop About the Author