Antique Crazy Quilt 1890's

Details

Description

A hand-sewn crazy quilt using recycled fabric in North America at the
end of the 19th century. Excellent condition for … Read more A hand-sewn crazy quilt using recycled fabric in North America at the
end of the 19th century. Excellent condition for its age. Very well made by a true artist.

Crazy quilts are so-called "crazy" because they don't follow a specific pattern or quilt-block (the building block for a quilt pattern), instead patch-working different shaped fabrics together to create an abstract pattern. This is a very labor-intensive craft and can feature a wild mix of fabrics and stitches. Crazy-quilting reached its peak in the late 1800s, first with upper-class women who had the time to fully unleash creatively and employed fantastical fabrics and embellishments like buttons, beads, shells, and anything else that could lend sparkle and pizazz. Later once the fashion for these quilts had passed, they continued to be made in more rural areas, where women used sturdier fabrics and fewer embellishments.

This particular quilt was composed during the height of the Victorian movement and epitomizes their design sense. It features an incredible amount of symbols, detailed needlework, and a variety of fabrics giving it a powerful graphic impact. See less