POST UPDATE: you can find the finished Vintage-inspired log cabin quilt here.If you’ve ever been to a quilt show, you’ve seen beautiful quilts – jaw-dropping works of art with intricate top-stitching over advanced-technique quilt blocks that can take a year or more to complete. I’m almost disappointed that it’s a nice day outside and I don’t have the excuse to just sit and cut fabric and sew… So, here’s where you’ll find me for the coming while. And so that the fabric mountain doesn’t get too out of control (or look too embarrassing for public consumption). I’m trying to cut and refold as I go, to maintain some semblance of controlled chaos. Here is a sanitized version of the mess that has ensued. It’s a little bit ridiculous, but I’m feeling no-holds barred on using all the favorites. The fact that I’m using pieces I’ve accumulated over the past 10 years means I have plenty to choose from. I’m happy that my Gretel fabrics are playing so nicely with this bunch. I want it to look like it’s a very scrappy quilt, but I’m sticking with a limited color palette and choosing fabrics with a vintage-reproduction feel. There are lots of different methods and I give you permission to find the one that works best for you! I have lots more Log Cabin inspiration on this pinboard here.įor my fabric choices I’m calling this ‘controlled scrappy’. If you like the accuracy of foundation paper-piecing, Amber from Gigi’s Thimble has a free printable log cabin template here. You can find more Log Cabin Quilt Tutorials here– including a pattern for a 6″ x 6″ and 12″ x 12″ finished block. I like this log cabin tutorial from Connecting Threads as it’s very similar to the way I chain-piece mine. At some point I will write one, but if you’re anxious to start in the meantime, there’s lots of Log Cabin Tutorials online if you just search for them. Since sharing on Instagram I’ve had a few people ask about a tutorial to make these blocks. I’m going very traditional with my piecing. Log Cabin Quilt Block Patterns and Tutorials I also recommend sewing with a scant ¼″ seam allowance as that will help your blocks stay accurate in size as they grow. I’ve also found this as the easiest method for making my blocks super scrappy – no two blocks are the same. Then I can take a stack of blocks and a stack of the next size strips and just chain them through my machine. The widths on all of my strips/logs are 1 ½″ wide, starting at 2 ½″ long going up in 1″ increments (3 ½″, 4 ½″, 5 ½″, 6 ½″, 7 ½″, 8 ½″, 9 ½″ and 10 ½″ for the longest log.) I pre-cut all of my strips ahead of time and put them in piles. I wasn’t sure at first if it was going to look like a chaotic mess, but now that I’ve got a few blocks done and can stand back and look at them, I am super pleased. It’s very safe to say that I like where this is going. Here’s a shot at some of my blocks thus far. Last Friday we had a crazy all-day snowstorm and I figured that was the permission I needed to cancel most of my plans, stay in my sweats and dig into and start cutting up 10-years-worth of stashed away vintage-inspired prints and scraps. *shakes fist at herself*)Īnywho, I’ve been wanting to replicate that quilt (or at least make one inspired by it) ever since. (Mind you, this was pre smart-phone days, but I was carrying an actual camera with me at the time. To this day I’m still kicking myself that I didn’t ask the carriers if I could take a picture. Here’s where those thoughts are taking me this week…Īfter finishing up writing and publishing a new quilt pattern last week, I realized I had a deadline-free window right now (which is a rare feat for me, but one I’m actively striving to make more time for).ġ0 or so years ago I saw a 20th-century vintage log cabin quilt while I was on vacation. Ever since making the Manx Quilt Block a few weeks ago, I’ve had traditional log cabin quilt blocks on my mind. I have been itching to do some “just for fun” sewing.
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