A Mini How to Log Cabin

The Log Cabin is one of my favorite (and is my husband's favorite) quilt block pattern. Traditionally it uses a red center square. This was a popular pattern during the civil war period but still today is beautiful and easy and a great way to use up strips leftover from other projects! I am using all 2" wide cut strips (and 2.5" cut center squares) but you can use any and all sizes of strips you'd like. If you use different sized strips in the same block you'll end up with a sort of wonky log cabin that is visually a lot of fun!!


You will need both dark and light fabrics since one side of the block is comprised of light fabrics and the other dark fabrics.
Start by sewing your square to the end of a strip. Then trim it even and open it flat. I always start with darks but it's up to you. And I always put the strip that I just sewed toward me when I go to sew the next strip. This way I don't get confused going around and around the block. I've now completed one "round" of the log cabin. Now, start again at the beginning (which is my piece with the red flower on the green fabric) and sew a dark strip to that side, then again to the next side, etc, etc going around the block. I typically do 3 "logs" (strips) on each side of the block because I get bored easy. Also, I'm pretty obsessive and I usually square up the block after each round--not necessarily for size but to make sure that it's evenly square so that my next round of strips goes on nice and straight. And there you have it! Now go crazy, cut strips and have fun!

Once you've made enough of these blocks for a quilt top (whatever size you're wanting, baby sized, lap sized, twin, etc) there are many different ways you can *set* the blocks. Do a google image search on Log Cabin Quilts and then also "Barn Raising," "Streak of Lightning," "Straight Furrows"--as these are all names of ways to set log cabin blocks!