It was the age of Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and Dorothy in the land of Oz. Theatrical “fairy spectacles,” with special effects to evoke moonlight, were a huge hit. Even newspaper reporters would gush over artworks and exhibitions as “veritable fairylands” that would “enchant” the viewer.
From literature to theater to everyday life, something magical was in the air as American popular culture turned the corner from the 19th century to the 20th. Fantasy made anything possible. In that spirit, women picked up their sewing needles, and the craze was on.
“A Fairyland of Fabrics: The Victorian Crazy Quilt,” on exhibit at the Design Gallery at UW-Madison through March 8, brings back a time when amateur needle workers fashioned scraps into artworks that sparkle with inventiveness and play.