December block: Crazy log cabins

First off, I'm going to apologize. When Jennifer said last December to declare which months wouldn't be the best to host, I did not connect the fact that as December arrives this year, I will actually be in Australia for a vacation (just Greg and I!!), and planning this blog post fell to the wayside as I got my desk cleared off at work, packed myself, and the kids for their stay at Grandma's.

So, I'm going to set up the block and give free rein to anyone who wants to go ahead and be done with it. After I'm back in the middle of December I will catch up and give more examples to anyone who wishes. I am in no particular rush for these, so feel free to postpone if December gets in your way (I'm sure everyone will have other sewing they may want to do).

Here we go: so, if you liked the colours in Anthea's November block (which I very much did!), you will probably like this one too.  I'm going for soft blues, greens, browns and off-whites/cream, with a bit of soft orange (but not peach) if you happen to have it.

I had been thinking about shapes, and felt drawn to rectangles, and so I'm going to be asking for a rectangular log cabin with a big crazy pieced centre

 So, ideally, you'd take pieces of your blues, greens and browns and crazy piece a rectangular-ish centre that ends up being about 6-7 inches wide by 18-19 inches tall - it doesn't have to be exact and any quadrilateral shape is fine (aka, a wonky rectangle).  the crazy pieces can be as big or as small as you want - I'm just looking to showcase the wide variety of prints that everyone has, so whatever looks good to your eye is great. Here is an example of crazy piecing... though your pieces do not have to be that small! http://alliesinstitches.blogspot.ca/2010/10/crazy-crumb-piecinga-tutorial.html
Then take 3 inch strips of your creams/off-whites and do one round of log cabin, starting with the skinny end.

In this series of pictures, I show a solid piece of blue fabric where the crazy pieced centre would be.

And then you can see how I put the sides on starting at the left and going counterclockwise.  In this picture they are wonky but you can just leave them at their full width and I can trim them later.

I hope this makes sense, and if it doesn't then I will try to look in and
answer questions in the comments as I find wifi. 

I will be mostly in Sydney and then driving the great ocean road out of Melbourne the WA folks, but if  anyone has suggestions of fabric stores, I'd love a recommendation!

Micaela

Amy (Canada) for Anthea

Hello! I was a bit over exuberant in cutting out fabric at Micaela's last night. I ended up with so many strips, I decided to do two squares for you, Anthea. These colors were so lovely and soothing to work with, and I love the return to the trusty log cabin and its simplicity. I hope these find a place in your quilt! If you look closely, there are some hints of both winter and the ocean. Enjoy!

Winter beaches...

Dear Anthea,

I have tried hard to capture the look and feel that you are trying to create with your log cabin quilt... I hunted for these blues, since I didn't have many in my own stash.

There is a piece in one block from a pillow case I used to have on my bed as a teenager, when I went through a white and blue "Ralph Lauren" phase... The outside darker blue fabric on the one block is from Jennifer's aunt's stash...I felt really blessed when she sent it to me, saying she thought it reminded her of something I would like. And does she ever know me - it is one of my favourite fabrics in my stash now. It is a bit on the darker side... The grey blue on the outside edge of the other block comes from a large bolt of William Morris fabric my mom gave me - he is her favourite designer and I have a lot of fabric in that style from her... Of the whites on white, my most favourite is the tree print. It says winter to me...

And you may ask, why are there two?! Well, my first attempt didn't measure up exactly - it is just under 14.5"...and so I thought I'd make another. And I don't think you're going easy on us this month with the choice of a log cabin design - it is timeless and classic and can be adapted to a modern quilt look too...and it gives us the time to make more than one block if we feel like our first just isn't right. So that's what I did tonight... I sent some of these fabrics to Amy and the Waterloo gang so they may show up in Shauna/Micaela/Amy's blocks too...

I can't wait to see this one come together! I'm so glad you joined our group... Now it's time I start to look for a pattern for our charity quilt. I'll send these off tomorrow to you.

xo
Katy

Amy's Christmas HST block

Sorry it's a bit late...I'm finally catching up to the quilting schedule and should be on time this month. The final product looks really pretty - I hope you have fun putting it all together. I will mail it express post so it should get to you sooner than later and you can get started on piecing the whole thing together.

xo Katy

Anthea's block from Linsay

Here is the block that I have made for Anthea.  The greys and the blues work very well together.  I chose one white/beige which had a bit of pattern on it and it stands out, especially in the photo.  I hope that in the overall scrapy look of the quilt the pattern blends in well.  I used the log cabin ruler (see comments on previous post) and it was excellent.  If anyone plans to do a log cabin quilt on their own I would definitely recommend it.  I have a few strips of blue/grey which I am about to post to Jennifer so she can add them to her block if she likes.  I am looking forward to seeing the final look of this quilt, I think it will be terrific.
Happy Sewing Anthea!
Linsay.

November Scrappy Log Cabin

Hooray, I have made a decision on this month's quilt block for you wonderful folks to create.  Both Doris and Linsay wrote about how narrowing down a block is enormously difficult and, as Chris will attest, I have made two previous attempts at block selection.  However, there are some glorious log cabin quilts out there in blogland and I have taken inspiration from Bea Spoke Quilts and Cut to Pieces and decided to ask you to make a scrappy log cabin please.

Here's my proto-type:

I am hoping I can channel my image of stormy oceans and wintery windswept beaches to help you with your fabric selection.  I have been collecting greyish blues, from steel blue to denim colours.  As you can see in the photo above, I even used a straight grey too. 

Here's my collection that I have cut 2.5 inch strips from to use:

A hint of other colours (flotsam? coral reef?) in the blue fabrics together with bit of teal and olive/kelp green fabrics stopped my choices getting dull.

I found the following Kaffe Fassett fabric in a small shop in a neighbouring town and think I might use it as either backing or to frame the quilt top. Or even a great summer frock!  Anyhow, it might help you to match colours.

Incidentally, I have shattered my theory that Kaffe Fassett fabrics have no white....both the above flowers and the purple/green/blue irregular rectangles in the previous photo have white spaces.

Speaking of whites, can you please use a mixture of creams and off-whites for the 'other side' of the log cabin block.  I'd love them to be patterned, although I've been struggling to find things other than polka dots in my local fabric shops.  I really wish my shop would stock some funkier neutrals.  I've use plain calico too.  Actually white might work if there is a low value pattern on it. 


What to make
One scrappy traditional log cabin block using greyish-denim blues and off-whites/creams please.
The central square and all strips to be cut 2.5 inches wide.
Finished block = 14.5 inches wide.
However, if you can't located sufficient fabrics (and I really, truly mean this, because I have found smoky, greyish blues quite hard to find), then feel free to stop at a 10.5 inch block, send it over and I'll add the extra strips.

There are loads of tutorials out there and I couldn't find one to really explain exactly what I'm after, so here is my quick version.
Cut from smoky blues
1 strip 2.5 x 4.5 inches
1 strip 2.5 x 6.5 inches
1 strip 2.5 x 8.5 inches
1 strip 2.5 x 10.5 inches
1 strip 2.5 x 12.5 inches
1 strip 2.5 x 14.5 inches
Cut from off-whites/creams
1 square 2.5 x 2.5 inches
1 strip 2.5 x 4.5 inches
1 strip 2.5 x 6.5 inches
1 strip 2.5 x 8.5 inches
1 strip 2.5 x 10.5 inches
1 strip 2.5 x 12.5 inches
Cut from blue/teal with hint of red, orange, ochre or any other warm colour
1 central square: 2.5 x 2.5 inches

Interestingly, some authors advocate cutting the strips to the exact length and others cut longer (and some wider) and trim after joining each segment.  I tried a mixture of both.  While it was nice to have less stress and trim off the excess fabric, it was always a relief when I used the right length and didn't have to trim.  Moda reckon we should cut fabric strips for log cabins on the lenghtwise grain.   I found that information after I'd already cut most of my strips in the other direction to save fabric!

Directions
You old experienced hands feel free to skip this bit.

1. Start with the central square and attach the off-white square, press and join the off-white 4.5 inch strip.  Press.  Then like most tutorials, keep working in a clockwise manner and attach the blue 4.5 inch strip.

2. Then attach blue 6.5 inch strip, followed by off-white 6.5 inch strip.

3. And so on, adding 8.5 inch white strip, then 8.5 inch blue strip.

4.  Then 10.5 inch blue strip and then the same sized white strip:

4.  Then 12.5 inch white strip followed by the 12.5 inch blue strip and finally the 14.5 inch blue strip.

There you go.  I hope that wasn't too tedious to read.  Can't resist adding another photo in though.

These are compelling to make.  I've currently got another two laid out and am auditioning fabric strips.  I think I am aiming for another pale version and a version to include a cobalt liberty print I've found, although that is proving a bit tricky.  You'll notice that I have tended to limit the really darker blue fabrics to the margins of the block.

I hope you enjoy making this block as much as I am.
Anthea

Shauna's tree block...

I have been trying to squeeze Shauna's tree block in on my off hours, but I always felt a bit cautious about starting..and then finishing...the tree. I wanted it to be perfect. I've known Shauna since highschool, and trees have rooted our friendship in so many wonderful ways. The tree is such a symbol of beauty, strength, art, wisdom, spirit, fun, reflection and hope. Much like Shauna...

I started this block three times...I redid the last attempt entirely, and at that point didn't have a white piece of cotton big enough, so found a white pillowcase that was ready to be recycled and here is Shauna's tree....on recycled cotton, which also makes me think of Shauna.

I know the block was due in the late spring, but...I think its design speaks nicely to the last rays of fall that we are holding on to here. I know it snowed near Shauna's house on the weekend, so winter is just around the corner. And I can imagine this tree in the winter, barren but for the owl sitting there.

love you Shauna...I'll mail it off tomorrow.

xo
Katy