Many years ago, the Crazy Quilters Mini Group started as a block exchange group within Bits ’n’ Pieces Quilt Guild. We made blocks for one another, shared ideas, learned new techniques and, somewhere along the way, became much better quilters — and very good friends.
Over the years, we realized we were ready to try something different. Rather than making blocks for each other, we wanted a challenge that would push each of us creatively while still giving us the fun of working on something together.
So, this summer, we started a new adventure!
The Crazy Quilters Challenge
Our challenge runs from August 2026 through July 2027. We started with a list of elements:
Curve • Appliqué • Improv Piecing • Non-Thread Embellishments • Thread Embellishments • Flying Geese • Triangles • Circle • Diamond • Hexi • Blue • Orange • Yellow • Green • Numbers/Letters • Arrow
Each month, we randomly draw one item from the list. Everyone has to incorporate that element into her own quilt and bring the completed block or element to the next meeting.
And there’s an important rule: no waiting until the end to see how everything fits! That would be cheating! Even if the element isn’t finished, you have to bring your idea and show us what you’re planning.
Beyond that, there really aren’t many rules. The finished project can be any size up to twin size and can be any shape or style. You can start something completely new, pull out something from your stash, rescue an orphan block or take the project in a completely unexpected direction. The only real finishing requirement is that it ultimately needs to be a quilt — three layers, quilted together in some manner.
And that is where the fun begins.
First Up: CIRCLE!
Our first draw was Circle, and already it has been fascinating to see how differently everyone interpreted one simple word.
Lisa Marsden is finally putting a wonderful collection to use. Some of you may remember the fabric license plates that quilt shops across the country sold several years ago. Lisa has collected more than 100 of them through her own travels and from friends who picked them up for her along the way. She is creating a quilt using those license plates, and for her Circle challenge, she made a traffic light to place among them. What could be more appropriate for a travel-themed quilt?
Darla Gibson is creating a quilt filled with sewing-room essentials — a rotary cutter, thread, sewing machine and other familiar tools. For Circle, she chose an embroidery hoop, the type you might use to display a finished counted cross-stitch piece. The hoop is paper pieced, so creating an almost perfectly round shape meant working with some very tiny pieces! The center has intentionally been left unfinished because another challenge element may eventually find its way inside.
Barb Tucker is building an entire bookcase. Her quilt will gradually fill the shelves as new elements are drawn each month. The picture below shows a bit of her potential bookcase. For Circle, she created a globe that will eventually take its place on one of the shelves.
And those are only a few examples!
One Crazy Quilter is working on a Michigan-themed quilt and turned her circle into a baseball representing the Detroit Tigers. Another is creating a Disney-themed quilt and interpreted Circle as Spaceship Earth — the iconic sphere at EPCOT. Yet another is creating an underwater scene using the Laura Heine collage method, where her circles are appearing as the suction cups on an octopus.
Same word. Same challenge. Completely different results.
And there are more — but we can’t reveal everything at once! I’ll share some of the other projects and ideas as our challenge continues.
That may be my favorite part of this whole experience. When we drew “Circle,” no one knew exactly what anyone else would do with it. A traffic light, an embroidery hoop, a globe, a baseball, Spaceship Earth and octopus suction cups certainly weren’t the obvious answers to the same quilting prompt!
More Than a Quilting Challenge
Crazy Quilters began many years ago because we wanted to quilt together. What I don’t think we realized then was how much we would learn from one another along the way.
These friends have challenged me to try things I might not have attempted on my own, introduced me to new techniques, shared ideas and inspiration, and influenced my growth as a quilter. Just as importantly, we’ve had a lot of fun together.
If you’ve ever thought about starting or joining a mini group within the guild, I highly recommend it. Find a few people, come up with something you want to explore together and see where it takes you.
You may become a better quilter.
You may also find some pretty wonderful friends along the way.
And we already know what’s next for the Crazy Quilters!
Our next element is FLYING GEESE.
Will we see the traditional Flying Geese quilt block? Actual geese flying across a quilt? Or will someone come up with an interpretation none of us has even thought of yet? Come back next month and see where Flying Geese take us!
