Vintage crazy quilt hand-sewn in Maine, USA.
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 quilts often don't include the middle-layer of batting that traditionally constitutes a quilt, so they are lighter that regular quilts and not as warm.
Crazy-quilting reached it's 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 is composed of 20 squares of pieced together fabrics, sewn together with a decorative feather stitch. It is multicolor, very cheerful and fun, with the stitching being done in a sunny yellow thread. The main colors in the fabrics are reds, blues, and grays. The backing and the binding is made up of a whole cloth of red and black squares.
In excellent condition, signs of wear consistent with age. Has a light and airy handle, consistent with crazy quilts.
Size: 5'7" x 6'7"
Age: Vintage
Country of Origin: Maine, USA
Type of Textile: Quilt Top
Material: 100% Cotton
Pile Height: Flatwoven
Condition: Excellent
TX245
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