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A crazy quilt is a unique conglomeration of randomly pieced fancy fabrics with embroidered embellishments on nearly every seam and patch.
The Industrial Revolution, which occurred during Queen Victoria's reign, made Americans rich. These nouveau riche families now had much leisure time on their hands, as they could afford servants to do the mundane work. For a genteel lady, needlework was considered a proper use of her leisure time. These Victorian gentlewomen used fancy fabrics because they could afford these beautiful treasures. What better use of this leisure time than to sew bits of silk, velvet and satin into a coverlet and embroider upon the seams. In the September 1882 issue of "Harper's Bazaar", the magazine gave this technique the highest praise; "In the old calico quilts the design was very stiff, and the colors rarely chosen with any eye to effect. Now we are very daring; we go boldly on without any apparent design at all and produce in the end a result which will in some cases challenge comparison with any richly stained glass."
The History of Crazy Quilts, Part I
By Betty Pillsbury in Collaboration with Rita Vainius
If you are interested in crazy quilting, there is a vast amount of information out there for you to enjoy. I have provided a few links below: Old Crazy Quilts A striking Victorian Crazy Quilt. Mary LaRosa's Quilt Gallery - Crazy Quilts Victorian Crazy Quilts from Country Collector
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