Page 99 - MyMomHadAQuiltLikeThat

Crazies

LEFT: Appliquéd and Embroidered Victorian Crazy Tiles with Velvet Border 1880s-1890s per seller. eBay purchase
from vendor GB-Best (Donna Vitale). 48"x55" Fabric: Cotton and silk. Batting: Thin cotton. Backing: Cotton,
black with woven-in checkerboard texture. Edge: The top is turned to the back ½" to the selvedge edge.
Piecing: Tiles are pieced by machine. Quilting: A few lines of machine stitching attach front to back. Condi-
tion: The top is good with a few splits or shreds. The back is largely dis-attached from the front, displaying
interior. Front is appliquéd to a cheesecloth-weave backing. Corners are mitered. A hanging sleeve is
attached. Scattered worn pieces (holds together), rubs to the velvet, age/other spotting tanning, on back
the fabric has come off. Comment: Embroidery by hand. Seller says "not a perfect quilt, but one that will
be a treasure to own in any collection", and that it was exhibited as "Hearts and Flowers." Motifs include
double ring and cross in every tile, and leaves, guitars, sliver moons, paisleys, circles, arrowheads. This
quilt was exhibited in Japan as part of the Hearts & Hands show in 1997. Also in this show were double
wedding ring quilts from Robert Bishop Collection. The museum display describes the quilt as follows:

Rare to find ’Tile’ crazy quilt made or given to the Mother of Joy Faris, Mahwah, New Jersey. c1880-90s. A silk & velvet,
with silk thread embroidery. Backing of heavy black brocade with woven checkerboard pattern. Embroidered in different
colored silk thread to create a double outer border with parallel vertical lines within the borders. This is an uncommon style
of crazy quilt in which the crazy patches are appliqued to the background, with the background color showing between the
appliqued pieces. A tile technique because it looks like mosaic tile with colored grout between the mosaic pieces. This quilt
has a folky, primitive quality. The images of butterflies, horseshoes, fans, pipes, crosses, paisley, tear drops, hearts and more,
look rather child-like. The interlocked rings in the center of each block. They are very heavily embroidered so that they stand
out clearly. This is the earliest double wedding ring image I have ever seen in a quilt.

Figure 73: Appliquéd and Embroidered
Victorian Crazy Tiles with Velvet