Crazy Quilt Tutorial: Jenny Doan's Ultimate Stash-Buster Quilt Block

Jenny shows how to turn a pile of scraps into something spectacular

🧵 Lots of fabric scraps!
This is the whole point — dig into your scrap bin. Strips, squares, odd shapes, anything goes. The more variety, the better your blocks will look. Shop precut fabrics.

📐 Crazy quilt templates (optional)
Jenny uses a set of templates to cut the five-sided center piece. You can also freehand it — just cut an irregular pentagon shape from your fabric.

🔲 Square ruler
Choose the size you want your finished block to be — Jenny uses an 8½" square ruler. This is how you'll trim the block at the end. Shop quilting rulers.

✂️ Rotary cutter & cutting mat
Shop rotary cutters.

🪡 Sewing machine

🔥 Iron & ironing board — you'll press after every seam

📌 Scissors

Step 1: Cut the Center Piece

Start by cutting your center piece — this is the heart of your block. Using a crazy quilt template (or your own creativity), cut a five-sided shape from one of your fabric scraps. Lay the template on your fabric and follow the edges with your rotary cutter, trimming off the corners of a square to create that distinctive irregular pentagon.

Don't overthink it! The whole beauty of crazy quilting is that imperfection is part of the design.

Step 2: Add the First Scrap

Find a scrap that you think looks good next to your center piece. Place it right sides together along one edge of the pentagon. Before you sew, fold the scrap back to make sure the angle will work — you want the piece to cover that edge completely once it's flipped open.

Sew with a standard quarter-inch seam allowance, then press the seam — set it first, then roll the new piece open.

Step 3: Trim and Prepare for the Next Piece

Here's the key rhythm of crazy quilting: sew, press, trim. After pressing your new piece open, lay your ruler along the edge of the center piece and trim the excess fabric in a straight line. This creates a clean, angled edge for the next piece to be sewn onto.

You'll get some really odd-looking shapes at this stage — that's completely normal! Trust the process.

Step 4: Work Clockwise Around the Center

Continue adding scraps in a clockwise direction around the center piece. Each new piece gets sewn right sides together, pressed open, and trimmed. You're building outward in a spiral — the block gets bigger and bigger with each round.

After you've gone all the way around once, start a second layer. Some areas might need a third layer too. The key is keeping your center piece roughly in the center of the growing block.

Watch how the block grows outward as Jenny adds layer after layer of scraps

Step 5: Keep Those Crazy Angles Going

The secret to a great crazy quilt block is maintaining those wild, asymmetric angles. You want a sense of circular motion radiating from the center — not straight, parallel lines. Use scraps of different widths and don't be afraid to cut at odd angles.

Jenny recommends pressing every seam as you go. Keep that iron handy! Pressing is what keeps everything flat and manageable as the block grows.

Step 6: Check Your Size Periodically

As you build, periodically lay your square ruler over the block to check if it's big enough. Place the ruler so that the center piece is still roughly in the middle of the square. If you can fit the ruler within the block with the center piece centered, you're ready to trim!

If not, keep adding pieces until you get there. It's better to go a little bigger than too small — you can always trim down.

Step 7: Square Up and Trim the Block

Once your block is big enough, lay the square ruler over it, center it up (eyeballing is totally fine!), and trim all four sides. Cut along each edge of the ruler to create a perfect square block.

Now you have a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind crazy quilt block! Make as many as you need for your quilt — each one will be completely unique.

🎨 Mix it up: Use different fabric types and print scales. A tiny floral next to a bold geometric next to a solid creates incredible visual texture.

✂️ Press every seam: This isn't optional in crazy quilting! Pressing keeps your block flat and prevents puckering as you add more layers.

📐 Check before you sew: Always fold the new piece back to preview the angle before stitching. It takes two seconds and saves ripping out seams.

🧵 Embellish if you want: Traditional crazy quilts often feature decorative embroidery stitches along the seams — feather stitch, herringbone, chain stitch. It's a great way to add even more personality.

🔥 No scrap too small: This is truly a use-everything project. Those tiny leftover triangles from other projects? Perfect for the inner rounds of a crazy quilt block.