2/23/00  Go to pattern   |     Back toHeart Intro page.   |   Back to Guest Archive   |  Home Ideas / Layouts using CRAZY HEART PATTERN Personally, I like crazy quilts better when they are bit more controlled. A repeating motif like the heart actually helps to give the eye a rest from everything else going on. Here are some suggestions for using this crazy pattern. NUMBER OF PIECES. If the crazy pieces are too numerous or small for you, I'm sure you can see you can rework the number of crazy pieces around the heart. Redraw the block, leaving out a few. SIZE. This six-inch block will work well enlarged to 8" or more. The larger you go, the easier it would be to use real crazy fabrics...the silks, velvets, brocades, etc. COLORS. I used red for the hearts and beige for the heart borders. Although I did my crazy background in blacks (plus a couple dark grays and blues for variety), just about any dark background would work: purples, blues, grays, browns. Use predominantly one color with an itty bit of another thrown in. SECONDARY DESIGNS. Look at the layout samples below. See how the crazy pieces behave, making patterns in the background. You may wish to use specific fabrics or colors in these areas to subtly bring them into play. Have fun with it! LAYOUT SUGGESTIONS. Color in a pattern and reduce it on a copy machine, making several duplicates. Cut them out and dream up your own layout. (Not shown: Add a reversed block.) Edges could be filled with more "crazy" piecing.