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Crazy for Crazy Quilts
Page 4
During this time, crazy
quilts were only made occasionally as they weren't the style, and instructions
to make them weren't readily available. Crazy Cactus, made in the 1930s
(see Example 6), is a rare and delightful quilt that tells us a great
deal about the maker, though her name is unknown. She indeed did "march
to her own drummer" and in doing so created a quilt that is highly
unusual and extremely decorative. The quilt is believed to have been made
in the California desert, in or near the town of Twenty-nine Palms. It
was sold by the quiltmaker"s sister to pay for the maker"s funeral
expenses in the 1970s. The fabrics are mostly silks with a few rayons,
and the prints are the type of fabrics that would have been sold for dresses
of the day. The quilt, with its Mission-style center and desert motifs,
is indeed a testimony to the spirit of the maker. This woman and the makers
of all crazy quilts let their imagination and their hearts lead their
fingers to make pieces of art that we remain "crazy" about even
today.
Maker unknown, circa 1925
Owned by Beverly Dunivent
Example 6
CRAZY OWNERS
For those lucky enough to own a crazy
quilt, special care is required to pass these heirlooms safely into the
new century. Many of the silks and other rich fabrics are fragile and
should be handled as little as possible. Store the quilt flat or carefully
roll it in a bed sheet or acid-free paper. If you choose to display your
quilt, talk to a framer experienced with textiles or to a textile conservator
at a local museum.
For more information on
crazy quilts, write to the Crazy Quilt Society, P.O. Box 19452, Omaha,
NE 68819, contact the Web site at www.crazyquilt.com,
or send e-mail to QuiltHF@aol.com.
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