Crazy quilts--quilts made of cloth of various colors and irregular shapes and sizes--achieved the height of their popularity in the mid-1880s. Although Crazy patchwork is considered to be an American invention, many of the motifs and the asymmetry of the patterning itself were inspired by Japanese design. This influence resulted from exposure to Japanese art and culture through international fairs and exhibitions. In addition to the pieced folding fans in the corners of this quilt, other motifs bespeaking Oriental inspiration include embroidered fans, a heron, a teapot and teacup, appliqued and embroidered vases, butterflies, and dragonflies. The time and energy involved in the production of such a quilt was considerable. An author for Harper's Bazar estimated that a quilt of 9,000 scraps would require at least one hour a day for four years. Augusta Adele Smith Jones lavished a good deal of time on her crazy quilt, for she recorded, "It was commenced July 24th, 1883 while staying at Grand Ma's, Mt. Holly. Finished February 13th, 1888 at my home, 1911 Eutaw Place." According the family remembrances, Mrs. Jones exhibited her quilt several times at the Timonium Fair where it "always took first prize." Detail of Outline embroidery of five little girls from Crazy Quilt BMA 1962.13 Among the non-Japanese motifs often found on crazy quilts were figures of children of the type popularized by Victorian illustrator Kate Greenaway. These were usually accomplished in outline embroidery, a technique encouraged by editors of womens' magazines as a "tasteful" form of needlework and one for which numerous commercial patterns were available.