All About Crazy Patchwork

Patchwork is an incredibly cozy, creative and technologically interesting needlework. Blankets, pillows, carpets and other accessories made in this style adorn the Scandinavian interiors and boho spaces, are used by bloggers to create attractive photo content. But if the usual patchwork is no longer impressive with novelty, you can try one of its branches. It is called “Crazy Patchwork”.

This style is suitable for those women who focus primarily on freedom in creativity.

But you can add lace applique and bead embroidery to the crazy patchwork. There are practically no limits to the embodiment of a creative idea.

You can translate the name of the direction as "crazy shred." Appeared equipment in England, and in the Victorian era. It would seem that the prim traditions of this country are hardly compatible with such a fun and humorous style of needlework, but the fact remains. Crazy patchwork appeared in parallel with the standard geometric, but the purpose of the products of the two styles varied.

Quilting arose for reasons of economy, when the prudent housewives acted according to the proverb "the glue for the invention of the cunning." Crazy patchwork was a luxury, devoid of practical orientation style. I must say that the creative direction would hardly have developed so quickly if it were not for the appearance of the sewing machine. It was a breakthrough, which, of course, was used by wealthy needlewomen.But it was the sewing machine that gave the patchwork a special development, complicated the concept itself.

It would be unfair not to note that the “nuts shred” also has Japanese roots. Quilted embroidery was especially honored by the Japanese. The fabric was treated with great respect, each shred was preserved and found a new life in quilted things. In the middle of the year before last, Japan opened up to foreign trade, and it was the wives of the British, who worked in Japanese ports, who brought Victorian needlework to the East. Then quilting not only became a way to extend things life, but turned into art.

Traditions, techniques, needlework technologies of the two worlds united, combined, penetrated each other - so the patchwork captured the whole world. And the crazy patchwork has become a variation of this work - a variation that attracts those who love freedom of decision, originality of composition and many copyright inclusions.

Conventional patchwork is a combination of parts of a common composition. It is enough to lay out pieces of fabric according to the sketch and just fasten in a convenient and correct way. Crazy patchwork is not so fast. When the details are sewn, the seams must be masked with artistic embroidery. Several types of stitching are used - “goat”, “goose foot”, “chain”. Then embroidery is combined with lace and ribbon appliques, beads, buttons, beads.

Any decorative details become part of the composition: ribbons - with flower stalks, beads - with buds, beads - with flower hearts.

There was a time when, at labor lessons, girls were taught to make a variety of stitches - from simple to highly artistic. And fabric samples with such stitches were sewn into a book. If someone has this book left, it can remind you of the beauty of handmade art and inspire you to a crazy patchwork. In this craft, stitches play a significant role.

Even before the creation of the first product in patchwork, you can organize yourself a “simulator” of decorative seams. Crazy patchwork style is very important because Separately, practicing stitches definitely makes sense.

The stitches can be very different:

• seam tambour - performed from right to left;
• loop seam - resembles a zigzag, has an external resemblance to a twig with leaves;
• herringbone seam - a variant of an open vestibule seam;
• goat - looks like a cross, but still not it;
• double goat seam;
• seam chain - one link comes out of the other;
• chain with leaves;
• plume - looks like a bird’s footprint;
• overcast seam - traditional, but very popular.

In fact, there are a lot of decorative seams, curved, openwork, complex. There are author's finds, there are amazing combinations that are “art in art”: that is, they are interesting in and of themselves, outside of the crazy patchwork, but against its background, stitches give the product special value.

There is a conditional notion that fabrics of equal density and texture should be used in patchwork. And the geometric shapes that make up the canvas themselves determine the sketch. Complex elements and transitions, oval inserts in the crazy patchwork are rarely used.

Typically, novice needlewomen do something simple, such as napkins. But even a small napkin without a preliminary sketch is difficult to make. Although, if there are certain artistic skills, everything will work out without a preliminary scheme. Patchwork can be collected on paper. It depicts a layout diagram, fabric pieces are superimposed on top of the places planned for them.

There are several assembly methods. Each creates its own decorative effect. Some assemblies are better suited for bags, some for pillows.

Block assembly options.

• Antique. Common to Victorian quilts. The pattern of flaps comes with allowances, they are laid out on the basis with overlapping each other, fixed with pins. Then the author adds braid and lace. If everything suits you, the patches are chopped off one by one, the allowances are smoothed out, and swept onto the base. Then all seams are fixed with embroidery.

• Landscape. It is similar to the previous one, except that allowances have to be ironed right away. Rounded fragments can be used here. Usually, the master starts sewing from the top of the block, layering shreds.

• Face to face assembly. The first flap is placed on the base, the second is laid on it face down, edge to edge, after which the fragments can be sewn. Before sewing the next patch, you need to decide how the braid or lace will be located.

• Base assembly is another face-to-face option. A block diagram is made, transferred to the base. Patterns are cut from it, and fragments are already cut on them taking into account allowances for seams. Then they need to be assembled on the basis of sewing along the designated lines.

• Assembly stripes. And this is also a face-to-face option. A strip of matter becomes the basis, one after another they sew on it arbitrary shreds.

• Shards. The block is collected on a sewing machine. You need to take 8 different fabrics, which are sewn in two blocks of 4 fragments. Each block is randomly cut diagonally, the parts are interchanged, stitched, cut again, all are stitched together and aligned to a square block.

• Collage and stained glass. Beautiful assembly with tuning everything at once. For an additional effect, different sewing threads are taken - silk, metallic, multicolor.

In books on crazy patchwork, these methods are analyzed in detail. Handbooks of needlewomen can be considered the works of J. Montano and M. Michler.

It looks like a “crazy patch” beautiful and easy, but behind this elegant needlework is the most real painstaking manual labor. However, with ideas for inspiration infecting hand-made fans, even the most difficult stages of work become enjoyable and bewitching.

The step-by-step scheme of sewing a bag will not scare even beginners, because the potential result is worth any effort.

For sewing you need:

• beautiful pieces of fabric;
• dense fabric for the base - linen is suitable;
• threads and scissors, needle;
• pencil and paper;
• Decorative elements for decorating crafts.

Sample plan MK for sewing bags in the style of a crazy patchwork.

1. In the center of the bag will be the most beautiful flap with an eye-catching image. But, as an option, you can make the central fragment plain, decorating it with a sparkling large stone or a beautiful brooch, embroidery from ribbons.
2. First, a pattern of paper is made, it is transferred to the base fabric. Parts are cut with allowance for seams.
3. After cutting and trying on, the flaps should be sewn alternately, followed by ironing.
4. After stitching the patches, you need to decorate the joints with lace, braid, and decorative seams.

You can sew a lining for the bag, sew in a zipper and enjoy the result of a lot of creative work.

The assembly principle is the same. Cut a lot of different shapes of colored parts, lay out on a diagram drawn on paper. Details are applied according to the scheme. Each piece is sewn and smoothed with an iron. The most interesting thing begins only now: if before that it was possible to sew on a typewriter, then further actions would have to be done literally with your own hands.

Experienced craftswomen recommend disabling logic and using imagination at this stage of execution.

Of the flaps in the crazy patchwork, it is not the pillow itself that is sewn, but the cover for it. Covers can be zipped or secured with buttons.

For many needlewomen, the first master class in the patchwork is connected with the tack. This product consists of the following parts:

• front side made in patchwork technique;
• the side of the mittens made of plain fabric;
• cushioning layer or insulation;
• two internal lining details.

You can sew patches in the same way as in the classic patchwork - geometrically accurate. But here's the design of the seams to borrow from the crazy patchwork. There should not be many decorative details on the tack, otherwise it cannot be utilitarian. Although if such a thing is created only for decoration, then even knitted roses with bead cores and complex voluminous applications can well be placed on the pot holder.

Quilt - art, which uses the patchwork technique, involves the coverage of various forms of embodiment of artistic ideas. Those who go deep into this needlework make pictures. They may not be as utilitarian as bedspreads, bags, pillows, but these are real works of art - self-contained, complex.

Crazy Patchwork - A wonderful technique for the manufacture of wall mural carpets, which are now back in fashion today. Things turn out original, original. Children who like to look at intricate patterns and amazing stitches at bedtime are especially fond of such rugs. This, by the way, is useful for the development of the child. But the patchwork carpet is also a tactile toy: the kids touch the seams, buttons, braid and lace ribbons, get acquainted with new materials and tactile sensations.

See the video for more on Crazy Patchwork.