Log Cabin Quilt blocks finished

I have finished the log cabin blocks. There are 25 of them. They are very large blocks (17.5"). If I make a 20-block quilt it will be 68"x 85, which is okay, although a bit thin for the full-size bed. I can also make a 25-block quilt which would be 85x85 and will hang nearly to the floor on all sides.

The fun part about log cabin blocks is that they can be put together to make very different patterns. Many patterns require more blocks, but I created possible 20-block and 25-block layouts and took pictures.

"New Kid" will get to pick. The blocks will sit quietly in the room's closet while I wait.

But that we don't get to pick the final layout does not mean we can't consider them. Here's an album showing the block construction, boring if you are not a quilter, and the various layouts, which may be slightly less boring.

Which one do you like best?

Log Cabin Quilt

Update: as you can see from the comments, the Pinwheel quilt is the favorite among readers who comment (at least so far). Hubby likes the diagonal strips best; Andrew and Brian like the zig-zag pattern. Actually, Andrew likes center diamond the best, but not with the addition that is necessary to make it long enough. I'm really curious regarding which the new kid will pick.

I really hated this pattern for a while, not the way it looked, but how much more difficult it was to do than I expected. Eventually I have figured it out, and now it might become a standard.

Tips for quilting as you go

Okay, this is not a craft blog, but someday someone may be crying over a quilt-as-you-go project, working with a book that gives no helpful information and may search for tips. Those of you who have no interest in quilting may skip this post. It is not a metaphor for foster care -- it's just about making quilts.

Quilt pieces are typically sewn with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. If you have two strips of fabric that are 2 1/4 inch wide and you sew them together you end up with one strip that is 4 inches wide. Except that you don't, quite. A very small amount of fabric will be lost in the fold of the seam. So quilters quickly learn to sew a "scant" 1/4 inch seam and then "square-up" the block (trim it to the size it is supposed to be) after stitching.

Quilting as you go is a technique where you work in sections. You start with a large square of backing, put batting on top of it, and then sew pieces through all three levels.

The problem is that as you sew and turn over fabric you will lose significantly more fabric in the seams. Depending upon the height of the loft of the batting, the fabric "shrinkage" can be significant. It is not possible to predict in advance how much you will lose. You must experiment with your materials. I recommend using a low-loft batting. I have found that with a flat, natural cotton batting I am losing a full quarter inch of fabric per seam. (I.e. 2 1/4 inch strips sewn with a 1/4 inch seam are resulting in approximately a 3 3/4 inch wide stip).

Once you have determined how much seam allowance to give yourself and how deeply to stitch the seams, you will still face the problem of "squaring up" the block. You cannot do this with a rotary cutter as you would, obviously, cut through all layers.

I recommend putting your complete block on top of a large plastic cutting mat. Using large plastic, see-through rulers, square up the block by drawing lines with chalk pencils or other fabric markers. Remember as you do this that you need to be concerned with the size and shape of the pieced block, and with the position of the pieces relative to the backing.

Currently I am working on a log cabin quilt using this method. I may post photographs, and I will update this post after I have sewn the blocks together. If you are a quilter who has used this method and have any tips for that part of the construction, please do leave them in the comments.

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Update:

For photos of block construction and finished blocks go here. To take comfort in how difficult I found the project to be initially, go here.

If you are quilter and found this page to be helpful, please leave a comment. (Of course I like getting comments from anyone!)

The stupid, hateful, awful quilt-as-you-go quilt

For hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years women (and a few men) have made quilts.

They have sewn the quilt top and then put together the "quilt sandwich" and quilted it.

There is a very good reason for doing that.

Quilt-as-you-go is a stupid, stupid idea and whoever put it in my book without explaining that it was a pain in the a$$, and without giving the tips that one needs to make the blocks come out square AND THE SAME SIZE, should be drawn and quartered.

I now have half a dozen blocks, none of which are quite the same size or shape. I think I have finally come up with a technique, or a series of techniques that will help, but what do I do with all these mix-matched blocks?

Here's a piece of advice. If you want to do a quilt-as-you-go project...make a crazy quilt in blocks. Just sew on pieces of fabric and square them up when they are done.

I wonder what a crazy quilt with that had 6 log cabin blocks in it would look like?

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE EASY QUILT.

It a LOG CABIN, for crying out loud. The only thing that is easier is a 9-patch.

The other quilt that I have in-progress is a double wedding ring, one of the technically most difficult quilts there is. It is coming out beautifully. It lies perfectly flat. The seams are perfect. Not a pucker or tuck anywhere. (Trust me, that's impressive). I would happily show it to any professional quilter with pride.

My log cabin quilt though looks like a beginner's quilt.

UUGGG!!!!

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Update: I did finally figure it out. Go here if you are interested in how. This post has photos of finished blocks.