Stitches for a Crazy Quilt

Crazy quilts most often are constructed in blocks using the foundation method, in which odd-shaped pieces of fabric are overlapped upon a cloth foundation block, their edges turned under, and the pieces stitched into place. The decorative, ornate, and whimsical embroidery stitches used to cover the seams of the underlying fabrics on crazy quilts provide lots of charm. In addition, many Victorian crazy quilts included embroidered motifs that traced patterns that were woven or printed on the fabric. In crazy quilts, there was no limit to the number of stitches used, the way they were combined, or color and types of threads used.

Painting on Fabric

Crazy quilts and painting on fabric with oils on silk and velvet became popular in the 19th century, similar to velvet paintings. Womens’ magazines of the time published articles on fabric painting and provided popular patterns such as birds, hearts and insects. The paintings on this pillow were done with oils, the same as crazy quilts of the past. By using paints or dyes specifically designed for use on textiles, today’s creations will last longer and be less prone to cracking and deterioration.

Linda Moore's crazy-quilt pillow incorporates several stitches. Clockwise from top left: An example of feather stitch; long-and-short blanket stitches, lazy daisy stitches, and French knots; herringbone and couching stitches; chevron and cross-stitches.

Symbols in Stitches

The motifs and stitches found in crazy quilts aren’t just for function, they often include symbols or tell a story about the maker. A flying swallow, a variety of plants, and a spider in her web (believed to bring good luck to the maker of a crazy quilt) playfully refer to Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Tiny or Thumbelina (originally published in 1835). Fairy tales of all types were popular in the 1880s, at the height of the Victorian crazy-quilt “craze”.

Detail of the spider and web on Linda’s pillow.

Eight Stitches for Your Crazy Quilt

Try the stitches here for embellishing your crazy quilt. To get started, you will need six-strand cotton embroidery thread in the colors of your choice and a size 9 embroidery needle (or larger if working on heavy fabrics). Linda’s pillow used the following stitches: feather stitch, long-and-short blanket (the vertical stitches vary from short to medium to long and back to short and medium before repeating), lazy daisy, French knots, chevron, small vertical cross, herringbone, and couching.

Explore more crazy quilt options in the September/October 2006 issue of PieceWork.

Also, remember that if you are an active subscriber to PieceWork magazine, you have unlimited access to previous issues, including September/October 2006. See our help center for the step-by-step process on how to access them.

Linda Moore is curator of collections at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery in Fort Collins, Colorado. Her passion is stitching designs inspired by vintage household linens.

Originally published November 13, 2020; updated July 30, 2025.