Crazy quilts

Crazy quilts.........they are so fascinating.  I have been looking at different samples over the past few days.  There is such a variety of stitches and embellishments out there.  At times it is overwhelming.

How does one pick the stitches to do?  Which stitches will look good together?  How much embellishments are too much?  I can go on and on with the questions.  Crazy quilts baffle me.  I would like to get the courage to make at least one block or maybe a small wall hanging, just to say I did one.  But......I just do not know where to start.

I now have a collection of velvet and valour, some ribbons and lace.  I'd need to get some special embroidery floss.  I have a book on ribbon stitches to make various designs and flowers.  I am working up to it.  Slowly building my courage.  I mean really, what is the worst that can happen?  That I waste a lot of time into a block and in the end I have to throw it in the garbage!  Really!!!

Yet I still sit here writing about it instead of doing something about it.  I think I am waiting for just the right inspiration.........

This block above certainly inspires me.  Maybe just a bit overwhelming.  I might chose to tone it down a bit.  But I wouldn't know how.  I love all those fancy stitches and the way they incorporate the ribbons and flowers.  Gorgeous!

We have this picture.  A sample of the different stitches you can use, and this being only a very small sampling.  There is so, so much variety, I'd want to do them all.

The picture at the top shows you how elaborate crazy quilting can be and this picture above shows you a simpler version.  This quilt looks antique, but it's hard to tell for sure.  This quilt maker mainly did crazy patches with fancy stitches along all the seams, with the odd block showcasing a motif or flower of some sort.  I thing the edges are really nice with the scalloped pieces.

Any words of encouragement?