Four Log Cabin Tops

Four Log Cabin Tops

Hidden Log Cabin

40 x 56

The Log Cabin lunacy all started a few weeks ago when someone with the Stashbusters group posted a link to Hidden Log Cabin made with a jelly roll or layer cake. I don't normally even look at jelly roll or layer cake ideas because I don't buy precuts. BUT at around the same time as the link came out someone sent me a flannel jelly roll so I went and looked at the video. 

The video calls for 42 strip jelly rolls and the one I had was 40. I used 35 strips which is all I needed to make a nice sized kiddo quilt. 

I just sewed the pieces together randomly and then used the layout in the video for the blocks. 

Hidden Log Cabin

from scraps

40 x 56

After I made the Hidden Log Cabin from the jelly roll I looked at my overflowing 2.5 inch strip bin (which I had actually emptied a few years ago) and decided to try a scrappy version of the Hidden Log Cabin. 

I used black 2.5 inch squares for alll of the block centers. 

Sunshine and Shadows

Log Cabin

60 x 80

After I made the scrappy Hidden Log Cabin top my 2.5 inch width scrap bin was still pretty full so I decided to make some 10 inch finished traditional log cabin blocks with red centers. 

I didn't have quite enough neutral pieces so did have to cut some 2.5 inch strips from scrap chunks. 

I think the Sunshine and Shadow Log Cabin layout is my favorite. 

Courthouse Steps

52.5 x 73.5

Then since I was in a Log Cabin mood I dug into my SAR (some assembly required) box and pulled out the complete set of Courthouse Steps blocks I made a few months ago from 2 inch width scraps. 

I've made many different Log Cabin quilts over the years; however, this is my first Courthouse Steps quilt. 

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

***

CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Dec. 25 - Merry Christmas. It was a quiet day for just the two of us. I remembered Christmases past full of relatives, good food and games. Hubby John and I rarely exchange gifts. In past years we just never had any disposable income and really never needed anything. This year John surprised me with a windchime that has solar powered hummingbirds that will glow in the dark. I do love windchimes. 

Dec. 26 - Mandarin Oranges. I bought a bag of mandarin oranges at the grocery store a couple of weeks ago. They are so sweet. I've been eating one or two every day for lunch. I was hoping they would be nice and juicy. I hate it when I have bought oranges and found them to be kind of dried up.  Oranges remind me of our Christmas stockings when I was a young girl - they usually had a big apple, a big orange and a few peppermint candies and that was it. I think that is the only time of year we ate an oranges or apples. I did not like (and still don't) the peppermint candies because they remind me of upset stomachs...whenever we had a stomach ache Dad gave us tea with peppermint extract or tea with peppermint candy dissolved in it. Since I didn't like the concoction I learned not to complain when I had a stomach ache. 

 

Roses in December: Roses in the Cabin

I have a new top!

Roses in the Cabin

64 x 80

I chose this month to work with my collection of rose print fabrics.  Some people collect fabrics by certain designers but I collect them by themes. I love roses so over the years I have collected a bin of rose print fabrics and although I have made several quilts with them I can make several more. 

This year lots a few loved ones have passed away, one is in hospice and several others are battling cancer and other life altering illnesses. I am so thankful I am healthy at this point in my life but I realize we are not promised tomorrow. I don't want to have any future regrets that I collected rose fabrics but didn't get around to using them.   So this month I've been using them - Roses in December! I can't stop to smell these bouquets but I can stop and sew them. 

This is quilt top #2 for this month's Parade of Roses. The first top was Mystica. 

As I mentioned at the beginning of the month...this one was inspired by a vintage quilt. 

I also started this with a bin of dark colored scraps and declared it my OMG (One Monthly Goal) for December. 

I made 16 inch log cabin blocks. Some have 4.5 inch centers and some have 6.5 inch centers cut from scraps. If the center was 4.5 inch I added a frame of 1.5 inch scraps to bring it up to 6.5 inches. 

Then the next rounds were 2 inch, 2.5 inch and 2 inch strips.  Some of the strips were pieced together with different fabrics. 

Now on to the next! 

OMG (One Monthly Goal) at Elm Street Quilts

Finished or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More

 

One Thing Leads To Another

For several years I've sewn along with Julie and other Log Cabin Loonies to make a log cabin quilt. I decided to join in again this year and thought I would use a box of civil war reproduction scraps. 

But before I cut up all those scraps I decided to look at my UFO list to see if I had any UFOs that could benefit from those scraps. I found a box with some old Sunny Lanes swapped blocks.  The swap took place back in February 2015. 

In the box I had 15 blocks that finish at 12 inches.  I also had a little baggie of four patch blocks that I think were from a different swap. My first thought was that I would make five more blocks and with a

4  x  5 layout that would make a quilt 48 x 60 which is kind of a weird size. Most of the quilts I donate or gift for adults are closer to 60 x 80.  So...even though I didn't really feel like making 15 more blocks for a 5 x 6 layout and a quilt 60 x 72 I decided I would. 

So on breaks from quilting or top assembly I cut enough of those cw repro scraps to make 15 more Sunny Lane blocks.  

And after I had those parts cut and sewn I still had lots of scraps left so  I started cutting up those cw repro scraps to make my log cabin blocks. 

And then I sewed two rounds of logs on to my 48 log cabin centers. 

I still need to add three more rounds in order to end up with a 10 inch finished block. 

And now I have made 15 more Sunny Lane blocks, emptied a box and moved another UFO forward. 

This complete block set will now go into the big "some assembly required" box with other block sets and will be made into a top later. 

 

It's a Finish! Log Cabin Lunacy

 Log Cabin Lunacy

It's a Finish! 

64 x 80

 Last August Julie (JulieKQuilts) hosted a Log Cabin Loonies Quilt Along.  She gave instructions for a four inch finished log cabin block made of one inch pieces. I had to make a few. Then I was addicted. 

 The blocks are totally made of scraps. I have scrap bins for a variety of sizes of scraps and just cut one inch off the end of those various sized scraps for my pieces rather than cut one inch strips into various sizes. 

 It's amazing what will sometime show up in just a half inch of fabric.  I've had a few family members and friends spend time in extended care facilities and I've found that if they have a quilt like this on their bed or wheelchair it can spark some conversations which is good if you are a shy quiet girl like me and especially tongue tied around someone who is not well. 

 The patient and visitors always seem to spend time playing I Spy no matter what their age. 

 Ghosts, seashells, fireflies, cat, snowmen, peppermints...

 ...dice, hearts, horseshoes, sailboats.  I call it the "smile factor". 

 I quilted it on my DSM with light brown variegated thread in the white areas and dark brown variegated thread in the dark areas with kind of a loopy thing.  The backing was a gift from a kind soul. 

This was my goal #9

for

Q2 Finish-Along

Log Cabin Lunacy

Just a short update on the Little Log Cabins - I now have 8 rows of 16 blocks sewn together. 12 more rows to go! I'm trying to work on this a little each week instead of turning it into a UFO. 

I think this would be a fun quilt for someone in a nursing home. 

Log Cabin Loonies at JulieKQuilts

Log Cabin Lunacy

 It's finally time to start sewing the little four inch log cabin blocks together into 20 rows of 16 blocks.  Four rows are complete...

 ...but the box is still full. 

Sewing along with other loonies at JulieKQuilts. 

 And I was wondering why I've been catching so many mice in the house lately. Well, I found these freeloaders catnapping on the deck. 

Log Cabin Lunacy

Since last week I have made 47 more little four inch log cabins. Lest you think I've been showing the same picture of log cabins each week I decided to show piles of them this week. 

I have 255 out of target of 320 so maybe I'll have enough to start assembly soon. 

These have been a nice easy mindless thing to work on when I haven't felt like doing much else. I've been busy with end of garden produce processing and cleanup and have been battling a nasty ear infection, spider bite and hopefully the last case of poison ivy for the year.  

Sewing along with other Log Cabin Loonies at JulieKQuilts. 

Log Cabin Lunacy

The total count of little four inch log cabin blocks is now at 208.  The target is 320. Only a few more to go!

Sewing along with other log cabin loonies at JulieKQuilts. 

Log Cabin Lunacy

Here's this week's batch of little four inch (finished) log cabin blocks.  I now have 154 toward my goal of 320.  And I'm sewing along with other Log Cabin Loonies at JulieKQuilts. 

And Then There Were 118

118 Little Log Cabin Blocks

And I only need 320 for a nice lap quilt 64 x 80.

This are quick, easy-peasy and fun. 

They will be also be fun to look at when it's on my lap someday. 

Log Cabin Loonies at JulieKQuilts

And Then There Were Sixty-Four

And then there were sixty-four little log cabin blocks. 

There's a few crowning glories and a couple of scary blocks. 

But that's not the end of the story or the scraps. 

Log Cabin Loonies at JulieKQuilts