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9:02 am
December 28, 2008
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It's really tough on hand quilting, but I sure do like the final look of it. And, it only requires lines of quilting every 10 inches. Not that most of us would space out quilting that far, but I don't infrequently have spaces of 4 inches here and there.
9:34 am
January 7, 2011
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Thanks. So far I have use the polyester batting but would like to try cotton. I'm going to be machine quilting again. I don't have the patience to hand quilt plus my hands couldn't take it all of that needle holding. 
11:03 am
December 28, 2008
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Just be sure to look carefully at the label of the batting. There is a LOT of variation among the different types and brands, even ones which appear to be the same materials.
Which batting to use is another of those things where there are no wrong answers. We each have our preferances and needs.
11:38 am
April 10, 2012
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Glad to see the interest in quilting post. I have been quilting several years and taught quilting classes from Louisiana to Vermont. Now retired to my sewing machine. I am starting a rag quilt for a customer out of her deceased son's blue jeans. I will try to post pictures when I am finished. Here it is April and I have three quilts, not counting the blue jean quilt to get out by next Christmas. That doesn't count those people that wait to the last minute to ask me to make one.
Oh, well just keeping my brain sharp along with my rotory cutter. Fun too.
Rich with blessings!
SLRich
2:12 am
January 10, 2012
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Hello all. Looks like I have come to the right link. I have always had a passion within to quilt, but have always been apprehensive to dive in. A few years ago, my folks passed and my dear sister in law. I have saved several articles of their clothing, in hopes to make a lap quilt for each of my 3 daughters and niece and myself. I have not been able to bring myself to making them, until now, I feel I am ready.
I have seen and liked the way a crazy quilt looks. Have any of you made a crazy quilt? I want to embelish them with buttons, stitching, mementoes of jewelry and such. Any suggestions? I have pastels, prints, bright colored clothing.
Thanks.. dee 
6:22 am
October 17, 2010
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Yes I have made crazy quilt patchwork.
One suggestion would be to rip or cut an old sheet, purchased muslin, etc. (something lightweight) into same-sized squares and use them for backing for your quilt squares.
Start in the center of the backing square, pin a piece of fabric on diagonally or whatever way you wish, then just sew on pieces around it till you come to the edges. Right sides together, then unfold. Press, and trim the edges.
That's how my grandmother taught me to do it. I wish I had some of her old quilts today, made from our dresses, her aprons, Grandpa's shirts, etc. They were so warm on our beds in the winter. I think she lined them with a "sheet blanket" which was just a lightweight summer blanket made of flannel.
Your quilts sound beautiful! What a nice tribute.
1:46 pm
May 5, 2010
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I prefer using a base fabric as well to sew/build the crazy patch square upon but I cut the square about 1-2" larger than the intended size. Sewing, folding, pressing, turning, etc can "shrink" the square or possibly pull it out of square. Alot depends on the weight of the fabrics used. Velvets are traditional but the bulk can distort when sewing strips on the diagonal (denim is up there too). Once the cotton backing is filled, lay a square template to mark the back and rotary trim to the desired square.
If you are plotting oodles of embellishment, wait to trim to square until you've finished that part or mark a temporary line to embellish up against, adjusting later if necessary. Additions can add to the shrink issue. Yeah, been there, surprised by that! ….<img class="spSmiley" title="yes" onclick="spjEdInsertSmiley('icon_yes.gif', 'yes', 'http://chickensintheroad.com/wp-content/forum-smileys/', '
');" src="/wp-content/forum-smileys/icon_yes.gif" alt="yes" />
1:53 am
January 10, 2012
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brookdale..don't give me any credit yet.. 
.. as I have not started my lap quilts yet.. thank you and thank you Ruthmarie for all your great tips. I can invision these ideas in my mind. The crazy quilt I had seen with many interesting embellishments from pieces of vintage lace to stitches and such, were not of squares. It was oddly shaped pieces of material. Would I be completely nuts and off my rocker to attempt such a quilt? Since I have never made a quilt before, but feel I could be up for the challenge. 
Am I understanding correctly, that I could cut my peices and quilt them to a solid larger squared piece of light weight material/muslin, then cut to size when put the backing on before I put my edging on it?
3:47 am
May 5, 2010
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dee, the traditional form of crazy quilting is to create square blocks, say 12x12 inches, of smaller pieced scraps which can be any shape. Try this UK how-to link to see the steps of the sew-fold-press technique on the foundation fabric of muslin or recycled cotton sheet. Crazy quilting was favored in the Victorian days … another excuse to embellish heavily with all those lush velvets, embroidery silks, laces and beads. Each square is completed one at a time as the smaller size permitted easier handling. When all the squares were done, they were trimmed and either sewn directly together or spaced with a single color sashing (strips of fabric).
When squares are sewn directly together it's easy for the edges of the squares to vanish into a jumble of shape and color. But crazy quilt is the most goof-proof approach to quilting ever. If you don't like a spot put a piece of lace on it, a button, or a cluster of beads and announce you planned it that way all along.
Small warning: embellishing each square by hand can devour hours of time. You can shortcut some of that by adding decorative machine stitches and/or strips of lace as you are building a crazy quilt square. And if you fall behind in a project, elegant pillows are an excellent backup for gifting to relatives if life happens while you're making plans.
10:46 am
June 1, 2010
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dee: so that your great idea and special fabrics do not end up as UFO's, may I respectfully suggest working in pillows as ruthmarie suggests, or a lap quilt--about the size of a baby's quilt. Because of the hand work and piecing and lack of repeatability, a crazy quilt eats time like nobody's business. BTDT!
12:53 pm
February 22, 2010
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I agree with others…when our grandmothers made crazy quilts with fancy needle work and lace this wasn't a project finished in a short time. Sometimes it was an ongoing project thet literally took years!
7:26 pm
December 28, 2008
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Something else to consider, since this is using sentimental pieces of fabric and embellishments, is making wall hangings instead – to be either framed or simply hung as small quilts. If you use the foundation fabric to which everything else is added, but then mount it within a frame, you need not be quite so meticulous in your stitching and can add more fragile items.
Absolutely, this is a doable project for a beginner! But, you probably do need to read a little about how to get those pieces to fit together nicely. Just be forewarned that if you make something which will be handled a lot, everything must be very secure.
I faced this when doing a similar project. Because the fabric pieces were so different and some of the items I wanted to include just would not wear well on a pillow or lap quilt, more of an art piece that happened to be made from fabric and other goodies was the best resolution.
4:59 pm
February 8, 2009
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I just finished a lapquilt for my mother, made out of my father his shirts..(he passed away October 2010)
Took me a long time to be able to cut his shirts..and then a long time to decide on the pattern.
Yes crazy quilts are lovely..but I really wanted this quilt to be used and changed my ideas a few times but finally settled on a log cabin.
This is a fast pattern..and easy to do with a sewing machine.
Your idea of a crazy quilt is lovely but as said, very very time consuming and might take years indeed to finish..not the blocks itself but the embroidery takes time..and to do that for daughters, niece and yourself….how much time do you have?;-)
Good luck and whatever you do…take pictures and share please
Pete I like your idea, to make wallhangings.
2:47 am
January 10, 2012
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Thank you all for all your heartfelt thoughts in creating special quilts. This is much to take in and think about. I think this will be a project now that will be on the back burner for awhile. With garden time creeping up and seedlings getting transplanted, and spring/summer house projects looks like I will have plenty of time for thinking and sketching out thoughts. I will definitely post pictures when I get that far. You ALL make my heart smile! I love the thought of the pillows and wall hangings.
9:08 am
December 28, 2011
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Flatlander, I just had to say that you made me feel a lot better with your comment about considering a crazy quilt and then going for a log cabin. That's exactly what I did too, and hmm… I've been working on that log cabin quilt for going on 3 years now. (I had a baby in the middle of that). I have almost the whole top done, though, so after the garden is in… maybe?
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