What are you working on?
Log Cabin sample made with my hand dyed fabrics
*photos and diagram coming soon!!!
Log Cabin Quilt
Did you know that the log cabin design may have originated in ancient Egypt? In the early 19th century the tombs in Egypt were opened by the British and thousands of small animal mummies were discovered. Some of these mummies were wrapped in linen with the log cabin design. Since there were so many of these animal mummies discovered they were shipped back to England and distributed to farmers to use as fertilizer. Maybe a farmers wife was inspired by the pattern?
There are other possible origins to look into. Please refer to the links below for more information.
Places to visit for log cabin quilt information:
- Log Cabin Quilts – Inspirations From the Past
- International Quilt Study Center do a keyword search for “log cabin”
- quiltalotamus.com
Log Cabin Quilt Construction
The log cabin quilt block is quite easy to construct.
You start with with a center square that is traditionally red, yellow or black. Red symbolizes the home, yellow symbolizes a candle lit guiding one home and black was thought to have been used during the Civil War symbolizing a safe haven for escaping slaves. The pieces around the center square symbolize logs that were used to build the homes. There is a dark side around the center square which symbolizes the shaddy side of the home or sorrow and a light side symbolizing the sunny side of the home or happiness.
I used a 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ piece for my center square (you can use any size that you wish). Then you basically start sewing pieces (logs) to each side of the square. I made the width of my logs 1-1/2″. I like to just work my way around the square and cut my fabric off as I go, but if you want to work in a more planned way you can cut your pieces as follows.
- A 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ {center square}
- B 2-1/2″ x 1-1/2″
- C 3-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ cut 2
- D 4-1/2 x 1-1/2″ cut 2
- E 5-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ cut 2
- F 6-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ cut 2
- G 7-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ cut 2
- H 8-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ cut 2
- I 9-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ cut 2
- J 10-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ cut 2
- K 11-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ cut 2
- L 12-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ cut 2
Stop by tomorrow for WIP {work in progress} Wednesday! You’ll get a peek at what’s on my design wall!
Stop by on Tuesday’s to get how-tos as well a historical information about traditional quilt blocks and other quilting trivia. Starts a week from today!
Just modified prices in my ETSY shop! Really you can’t buy mass produced art in stores for these prices!
School is back in session for my son, so life has returned to the normal routine. EXCEPT I have stayed FOCUSED!
Yes! I got my studio set up. A NEW portable design wall made…and a quilt started on it already!
Tomorrow I will be lowering the prices on my Etsy shop to try to move older merchandise so I can make room for the new.
FOCUS
As you have seen from my “a little something sale” I have had a hard time focusing on my art.
I dabble here, there and EVERYWHERE! (Very unprofessional!)
So this year I am devoting time to my contemporary art quilts.
By focusing:
- I create a body of work that I present to a local gallery.
- I develop and offer a class in intuitive piecing and design.
- I don’t spend excess money on supplies.
Simply, by focusing I succeed!
What’s your word for 2010?
