Fabric Choices

Traditionally the base fabric for a crazy quilt has been muslin.  This material was inexpensive and easy to find in the days ladies sewed the multitude of patches to create a crazy quilt. Today, many different fabrics are available to use to back a crazy quilt, but muslin remains the most popular.  Choose a fabric that is tightly woven to prevent bunching or stretching.  Also choose a fabric that is 100 percent cotton to ensure the material does not shrink.

Usually crazy quilts are composed of luxurious fabrics, only in small pieces.  Rich velvets and opulent silks are the traditional materials of a crazy quilt, but it is up to you to use whatever fabric you choose.  Choose an overall color scheme and select fabrics in those colors.  Be sure to balance the textures of the fabric.  Quilts that have a dominate fabric can be easily overpowered.  The mixture of fabrics is the appeal of the crazy quilt anyways, so choose many different textures of fabric for your quilt.