Turn Scraps Into Variable Log Cabins

One Pattern So Many Different Layouts

Log cabins made from simple little strips of fabric make such beautiful quilts that seem so difficult but aren’t. It can even be scrappy and unplanned! You can also use the Log Cabin block with other traditional blocks to make traditional quilts with an unusual twist. However, here are some tips that will help towards getting delightful results with this versatile block.

 

 

 

Narrow fabric strips, or “logs,” surround a center square, which represents the heart of a home. Usually the strips are divided so that one diagonal half of the block is light and the other dark. To construct the block, the pieces are added to the center square one at a time, from shortest to longest and in the numbered order shown in a pattern.

Evelyn Sloppy says:

Accurate cutting and seam allowances are necessary for accurate blocks. I like to precut all of my logs to the exact size. If you sew strips that are not the exact size to the center of the block and then trim them to fit, your final block may be quite different in size from what it is supposed to be if your seam allowances aren’t just right.

On the other hand, if your precut log is too short or too long for the piece you are sewing it to, you will know that your seam allowance is off and you can correct it immediately.

If your log is too long for the piece you are sewing it to, your seam allowance is too large. If your log is too short, your seam allowance is too small. As you sew the logs on, press the seams toward the outside and be careful not to stretch the fabric.

It’s super fun to interchange strips to make unique log cabin designs, and you can play with colour’s and textures endlessly. Just a change of fabric or design and you will get a whole new look for your log cabin quilt.

If you love log cabins, or have have never tried a log cabin quilt, Evelyn Sloppy has great tips for log cabins that are easy to piece points and perfect for scrappy’s.
Half log cabin made with pre-cut strips are a very forgiving pattern for a first-time quilter, and there are so many ways to lay them out for different effects.

In her book, Log Cabin Fever, released way back in 2002, Evelyn has 11 projects that mix traditional Log Cabin blocks with baskets, hearts, stars, and even off-center logs. Included are invaluable tips along the way.