I started CQ 3 or 4 years ago by accident. I had made a few ninepatch comforters over the years and my step-daughter got the idea that I knew how to quilt. She asked me to make her one for a wedding gift (out of various fabric pieces that she used for tablecovers at her reception). I agreed...and then at the reception I spent most of the evening wondering how I was going to make something out of it! LOL! She had a Luau(sp?) theme and all the covers were Hawaiian prints, mostly in blues, aquas and pinks. THEN she told me she wanted her main quilt colors to be burgundy and green. ICKY combination with the Hawaiian prints so I decided to use lots of solid burgundy and green and just little bits of the prints (but I still had to use the bits where guests had signed the tablecovers). At some point, I decided there was no way it was going to be pretty so (like myself as a teenager) it would have to have a "great personality"! I started embroidering and appliquing, and yes, even beading. By the time, the top was done, I was actually starting to enjoy myself...then she called me. "I did say I wanted the main colors to blues and silver?" I was behind the barn digging her grave when I started thinking about how much pleasure I was getting out of giving this quilt a "personality" and I decided to "just" make it a reversible quilt. Now it hangs on her wall with the blue and silver side out. It has 2 Double Wedding Ring blocks surrounded by rows and rows of blue and silver borders and the signed blocks. The Icky side has green and burgundy blocks with the names of the islands they went to on their honeymoon and embroidered and appliqued blocks representing the places where the proposal, wedding, reception, etc. took place.

As I was working on it, I kept thinking how fun it would be to make something from my own choices so when I finished hers, I started one for myself. I'm far too lazy and sloppy to do proper "piecing" so I just put bits together (I still didn't really realize I was crazy quilting). I did a little embroidery on scraps and cut up some dresser scarves from yard sales, and when the blocks were done, I couched some sequin strands and lace and things on. When my mom saw it, she told me it was "kind of like a crazy quilt". I got online and saw what was out here and I was HOOKED! I started one for my other daughter, then put that aside to make one for my mom. Mom's started as a lap robe but I kept seeing new techniques and adding more blocks and it turned out to be twin-size. With all the beads and embroidery, though, it might squash her so it hangs on the wall :) I took it to the county fair last year and won a blue ribbon (first prize) and Boy was I proud! Then I found out Iwas the only entrant in the category! Would have been pathetic to NOT win first place! Anyway, by the time I got back to my daughter'squilt, I had learned more and I wasn't satisfied with what I had done on hers so I tore it up and started over. I've got her blocks finished now and am embroidering the sashing as I assemble it.
So that's how I started. Iaccidentally made 2 crazy quilts before I realized what I was doing and now I'm on my fourth one and making plans for one for my grand-daughter!