Crazy Patch Quilt

Crazy Quilts became quite the fad in the 1880's.
Inspiration came from the asymmetrical art displayed at the Japanese Exhibit during the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.
(*as a side note, the 1876 Exposition was the first Worlds Fair in the United States).

Crazy Patch shown by Suzie Evenstad at the Gilbert Museum.
Completed in 1921 by Suzie's grandmother Rosa Mae Barnes Guthrie.

I've always loved to study the practice of piecing old bits of fabric together.

Originally, Crazy Quilts were often made with ornate fabrics such as velvets, satins, tulle and silk. They usually were embellished with buttons, lace, and trims.

In later years thrifty housewives used everyday fabric like cotton and wool.

As you can see Rosa used cottons, and embellished with embroidery patterns that are having a resurgence in popularity today with the use of bees, owls and
pitchers.

Images fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.

It's fun to see Rosa's imagination in use of various embroidery stitches.

What was once a Victorian past time, keeps my interest over 100 years later.
I've never made a Crazy Patch quilt, but would like to give it a try at some point in my quilting experience.