The Quilting Cottage

I have just finished my first crazy quilt. I tought myself how to do it (wrong of course!) lol.  I also learned how to embroider on this quilt.  It leaves a lot to be desired but since it's my first and it took forever to do, I'd like to complete it.  My problem is I don't know where to go from here.  The top is done, and I purchased fabric for the top, bottom and side strips but I'm not sure what to do about the backing fabric and how in the world do you quilt it?  The top is covered with embroidery, buttons, etc....  Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you, Traci

Dear Traci,

I don't think there is a 'wrong' way to put together a crazy quilt.  That's why they're called 'CrazY'!  Sounds like you have a jewel of a creation here and you've put a lot of 'yourself' into it.  If most of your fabrics on the top are cottens I would definately layer in a mid-weight batting and then the backing.  The backing shouldn't detract from all the work you have done on the front, so use a piece of allover print that will complement the colors you are using as side strips on the top, bottom and sides.  As for quilting your piece, you will probably need to hand quilt it because you won't want to run over(with a machine) any of the special work you have done; the embroidery, the buttons, the beads, ribbons and trims you've intertwined into the piece, etc., Perhaps your best bet is a big round hoop to quilt it in, starting in the middle?  and working your way out to the edges.  First lay out the backing on a table, then the batting on top of that and then your quilt top on top of that.  Pin with large safety pins every 12 inches or so to keep everything in place so it won't move around on you.  Then lay it over the hoop, starting in the center and as I said, work your way out to each side.  Quilt around the special sections you have, making them stand out.    We would all love to see a picture of the top NOW or the finished quilt when you are done.  Can't wait to see.  I remember what it's like not having someone actually WITH you to help you go through the steps of finishing a quilt.  Not having a lot of 'finishing' experience, I wish I could be there with you.  Keep us posted and just keep asking questions.  Nothing is too small to ask about.  It's the small things that make the big finished product!  Hope I've helped you.

                                         Delsie

Thank you so much for your help!  I didn't realize I was supposed to place the pieces of scrap fabric to a larger backing fabric.  All my materials are different (cotton dress fabric from my daughters skirt, velvet from my mother in law, damask that was my grandmothers dressing gown).  Because I didn't sew this to a backing fabric some of the pieces started to fray apart while I was doing the embroidery so I had to get creative with ribbon, iron on hem tape and extra material to patch the areas.  I just hope it all holds together ok.  I will take a picture and see if I can figure out how to post it. 

Thank you again for all your advice.  I'm sure I will have more to ask! 

Here is a picture of my quilt top so far...  I still have a few things to finish and then try putting it all together.  Thank you again for all your help!

 Your quilt is lovely, and do not be embarrassed that you are 'self-taught'  I started the same way in the early 80s, mostly reading books about quilting from the library.  Somewhere along the line decided maybe I could "learn a trick or two" and started taking classes...(LOL)  but the lessons I learned on my own have stood by me all these years... I might suggest that you may want to put a muslin backing on the quilt to support all the embroider and beautiful work that may tend to "pull" your squares out of shape..(if you haven't already started to quilt it) just think, now you have hand work to do at night when you watch television!!!  (I'm a multi tasker myownself)  As a matter of fact, I started quilting by hand for other folks (didn't know I didn't know any better), who would bring me quilt tops they had inherited or "found" in old trunks and for $200 I would do the quilting!