Traditionally, Log Cabin quilt blocks are designed with a light half and a dark half, with the division running along each block’s diagonal. The differences in color value make it a cinch to create an endless number of layouts by turning blocks around when you use a design wall or other flat surface to preview a quilt. The quilt shown here is a traditional Barn Raising Log Cabin design. Blocks are oriented so that light areas flow together at the quilt’s center to create a square that appears to be on point, even though blocks are sewn side by side in a straight setting. Remaining quilt blocks are turned to create the continuous look of squares within squares. The contrast can be shifted by placing the dark halves of blocks in the quilt’s central area. Log cabin quilts are sometimes made using foundation piecing techniques, but they can also be sewn piece by piece without the help of foundations. Look closely at the photo and you’ll notice that the design is created when four quilt blocks are clustered together into two rows. Light sides touch in each row of two blocks. The four-block layout continues throughout the quilt. This is a lovely example of a scrap quilt. Three different machines were used to make the log cabin quilt blocks, and when it came time to put them together, they were all different sizes. Melissa had to pick out the ones that were about the same size (with the same amount of strips in them). She didn’t have enough, so she made a panel for the middle of the quilt. She used fabric paint and cut maple leaves out of hand-dyed muslin. Next, she tea-dyed the muslin and sewed the maple leaves onto its center, using applique for the stems, and zig-zag stitches around the leaves. She created this quilt by modifying a design by Jean Ann Wright which was shown in Quilt magazine. Sheilago added a Country Cottage block from Country Quilt, plus extra log cabin squares and heart applique. This was her first attempt at hand quilting. Do you see other ways to alter its layout? Start looking at quilt patterns with an eye to how they can be changed and you’ll discover lots of ways to tweak designs to suit your own tastes.
