The best source for how-to stitch info is Needle'nThread.
For Crazy Quilts one of the basics is the Chain Stitch.
Or the Fly Stitch
My favorite , the Buttonhole Stitch.
This is a short video from the American Museum of Folk Art.
This link shows how sewing needles are made.
And this link (in French) takes you on a tour of DMC embroidery floss production.