Click here for PDF Version By Beverly Dunivent Published in Vintage Quilts, Annual 1998 issue. For the ordinary person, the word crazy conjurs up visions of mad scientists—erratic behavior, wild hair, and bulging eyeballs. But couple the word with "quilt" and the image turns to one of complex beauty. Since the reign of Queen Victoria when the crazy quilt craze began, the decorative and extravagant crazy quilt has never waivered in popularity, and there looks to be no end in sight to its widespread appeal. CRAZY FACTS     Distinguished by their hodgepodge piecing and exquisite hand embroidery, crazy quilts have been made using everything from leftover silk from ball gowns to worn out work clothes. In addition, they often are decorated with a variety of purchased, painted, or "found" components, such as lace, charms, and tassels.    Through the years, a variety of fabrics have been used. During the Victorian Era, quiltmakers favored rich silks and velvets, while wool was preferred near the turn of the century and dress goods and cottons during the 1930s. Fabric choice often was determined by region, also; crazies created by women in colder northern climates often were made from wool and embellished with fine wool threads (see Examples 1 and 2). Maker unknown, 1902 Owned by Jackie Gillam Example 1 Made by Mary Tebbe, Ohio, 1891 Owned by Beth Hayes Example 2