Debbie's Log Cabin Quilt

Well, here it is!
The recipient (Debbie) picked the pattern/layout and size (queen) and her MIL told me what colors she generally likes (deep reds, golds, etc). I took that info and designed the blocks and final quilt on my own. Then I spent weeks and weeks collecting all kinds of reds and creams, as well as the gold marble-y fabric I used for the center squares. All told, there are sixty-four 10" (finished) log cabin blocks, with a total finished quilt size of 90x90. I'm kinda proud of this one... almost hate to give it up.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

OK So now I'm blushing...

A visitor to my blog put the following comment /question on the post for my Santa's Blizzard Blues quilt that I made last winter:

Vicky E said...
"I love this quilt. I know how to make the block but can't make anything without pattern and have never put anything on point. Would you share or sell the layout and color directions.Vicky"

Well Vicky, I'm sincerely flattered by your request; however, I have to say that it happened completely by accident. I'm happy to share the general path I followed to end up where I did, though.

The main part (using the split 9-patch blocks) contains --I think-- about 3 or 4 sets of charm squares from Moda's "Snow Village" line from last fall. If you wanted to reproduce the color scheme from my quilt, you'd need 40-5" squares of various blues, 40-5" squares of whites/creams and 10-5" squares of blacks/dark grays. To use your own color set, you'd substitute accordingly, using a range of mediums for the blues, very lights for the creams and darks where I have blacks. Then you make 10 big 9 patch blocks with the blues in the corners, creams on the sides, and blacks in the center, and cut them each into 4 smaller blocks according to Helen's disappearing 9-patch tutorial.

Here's where I started "riffing" on Helen's instructions... I tried putting them in a straight set, but it just didn't seem to look right to me, so I thought I'd try turning them on point and I decided it looked more how I wanted it to look (easy when you have no idea where you're headed before you start out!). I tried to sort of arrange the blues to where the darker values were toward the middle and they got lighter as they went out.

I used the guide from About.com to figure out how to size/cut the setting and corner triangles. They have all the formulas to calculate the sizes needed and all you have to do is follow their step-by-step math to make it all very simple. For my quilt, since the split 9-patch blocks end up being 6 1/2" blocks (finished-- I know, odd size), you will need to cut the following:

Side setting triangles: cut 3 parent squares 10 1/2" and cut each into 4 pieces --across both diagonals-- to make a total of 12 setting triangles
Corner triangles: cut 2 parent squares 10 1/8" and cut each once diagonally to make a total of 4 corner triangles

Then I simply added a narrow inner border (2 1/2" cut, 2" finished) of one of the cream fabrics and a wider border (5" cut, 4 1/2" finished) that matched the setting and corner triangles. This made a 58" x 58" lap quilt.

Hope this helps-- it's my first attempt at writing anything like this so I hope it's not "clear as mud." I'd love to see your quilt! I may do another one like this--thinking it would be really pretty with deep red for the dark, various pinks for the mediums and cream or white for the light... kind of a Valentine's quilt... hmmm...

Log Cabin Work In Progress

Here you can see all the different 1.5" strips cut and hanging from my giant quilt hoop waiting to be added to a block... there's also a sneak peek of the layout there on that paper beside it. The basic layout is from the book "Log Cabin Quilts Unlimited" although that one is done in black & white.


Here are the 1st quarter of the eventual 64 log cabin blocks as they basically will appear in the finished quilt top... log cabin is really very simple, but it's very time-consuming, since you have to press and square up after each individual strip is added to a block. And each block has 16 strips. I love how all the different reds are "playing" together.

Penelope's Pumpkin Patch

Note: Post updated Feb 22, 2010 to replace picture of unfinished top with completed quilt.

Way back in October of last year, I happened to win our guild's block of the month drawing (for the pumpkin blocks). I never win ANYTHING, but I was really happy to get this particular one. I added the kitty cat to make it a truly fun "Halloween" quilt, and I have candy corn fabric for the backing. I'm very pleased with the way this one turned out--can't wait to see about quilting. I might try to see how much it would be to have someone else quilt it, though... we'll see.

Finished QOV #3

Here's my latest Quilt of Valor... all quilted and bound and nearly ready to go! Just need to put on the label & wash it before sending.

A close-up of some of the really nice quilting done by my longarm partner!

The presentation tote...
The body of the tote is the same fabric as the quilt's backing, and the straps are the same as the border and binding. The tote is made using the free "Fabric Grocery Bag" instructions from The Creative Thimble. I love this little tote--too easy & cute!--so I'll be making myself a few shopping bags very soon!

Fun with Scraps!

Several months ago, I did another swap on the Scrap Quilting forum on DelphiForums. This one was an exercise in color play. Everyone made two pairs of blocks each for the others in the swap. Each pair was to be a set of a rail fence block and a four patch block. Both blocks in a set had to use the same tone-on-tone or solid matched with two different fabrics that could go with the solid, but not necessarily with each other. Here's one of my sets as an example... both use the same blue, but the other fabric is different, and certainly not what you would normally use in a quilt together. My other set was more "subdued," using a burgundy solid with two prints that didn't contrast quite as much. The burgundy set made it into the quilt, but I didn't have room for the blue ones... I have a few sets of that left, so I'm making other plans for them.

Due to the fact that there's no room in the budget for new fabric right this second (like I NEED any more fabric...LOL), I decided to take them out and play. And here's what I came up with! I used the four patch blocks for the center, and then lined up the rail fence blocks as a border of sorts. Then I added the corner blocks to carry the line of the rail fence around the edge of the quilt. What do you think? I'm not usually one for wild scrappy with "reckless abandon," but I actually really like the outcome. Very colorful to say the least... It's not very big, only 30x30, but it will make a nice tea party blanket or kid cozy quilt. Another reason I went ahead and put this together is that I need a small project to test out the Flynn Frame my mom got me for Christmas. That's my next challenge...

More Travel Pillows

These use the same wonderful pattern from Charlotte's Sew Natural that I used for my family's Christmas pillows. So funny... when I thought of making myself one, I immediately thought of this exact fabric, called "Paris Cats." Then -voilà- suddenly it came up on clearance on one of my favorite online shops. So I bought a half-yard pack of the fabrics and made myself a really cute pillow. I love the cats on their scooters running by Paris' most well-known landmarks...
And since I had some more half-yard pieces in the Paris Cats line, I made the fun one on the bottom of this picture for a project that I'm planning on undertaking with my MIL & SIL. The other one in the photo is a twin of a pillow I made for my mom, and is also for the proposed project. I thought it was nice and feminine without being "frou-frou."

Cabbage Rose BOM

For several months now, I've been doing the block of the month program from Cabbage Rose Quilting in Fort Worth. Way back when it started, you only had to choose which color way you wanted and pay a small start up fee & then all the monthly blocks are free as long as you remember to order them on a certain day each month (I usually do, but sometimes end up paying the $5 "late fee"). So far I have 9 of the blocks. I have never done much with batiks so I decided to go with that option, and I haven't been disappointed! Such pretty colors! And since they're all traditional blocks, the piecing has been pretty easy. I did learn a really neat cool easy way to make the flying geese (used in the teal block), so I'm certain I'll be using that again.

Here is a shot with the first 9 blocks. I think that leaves me with 3 monthly blocks to go, and then I'll have to decide if I want to pony up for their finishing kit or create my own...
I really like all of the colors, but I'm not too sure about the block with the bright orange... kinda seems to stick out a bit. Maybe some of the last few blocks will have colors of similar intensity.

Another Swap

This time the swap is of colors, instead of a particular block. Everyone in the swap is to make 12" blocks in a pattern of their choosing, using a blue/yellow/white palette. I've been dying to make a blue-yellow quilt & I've wanted to try the Hayes Corner block since Hayes is one of my family names, so I couldn't help but join in. Here's my "pilot" block and a couple showing different layouts of of 4 blocks together. This is all I could make with the fun blue paisley fabric I used, so the others will have a different blue, but you can get the idea. Sooooo gonna make a big quilt with this block!

Why I Quilt

Every quilt I make is intended to be used and loved. When my sweeties cuddled up under this one (the first I've actually KEPT), I couldn't help but snap a shot.
And then there's always other uses for quilts. She says she's a "mon-ter... wooooo."

QOV #3

Here is the unquilted top of my 3rd Quilt of Valor so far. (Will update when it's all quilted etc)

This quilt honestly has caused me no end of consternation, but I am pleased with the final result. It has been sewn, ripped, re-sewn, re-ripped, re-arranged and flipped around with the entire middle jettisoned (used to have a panel in the center!), re-re-sewn, ripped yet again to adjust length trying to do something cool with the borders, which I eventually gave up on ... and finally just finished. The zig-zag blocks (called "Delectable Mountains") at the top & bottom are from a block swap I did online. They're neat & really pretty, but a very odd size/shape which made them kind of hard to work with. I'll be using the rest of them in their own quilt so I won't have to worry about the weird size. Anyway... since those blocks were already scrappy, I went scrappy with my courthouse steps blocks. They each have the same flag print fabric at the center, then random strips for the red, blue & neutrals. I've never done courthouse steps before, but I love them & will certainly use them again. If you can't see, the whole quilt is framed by a narrow border of deep navy blue with tiny white stars. Overall, I think it's kind of a neat quilt. Hope its eventual recipient agrees!

"Santa's Blizzard Blues"

Here it is all completed, quilted and bound as I entered it in the show... for more background (pattern info, etc) on this quilt... click here.