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NOT YOUR DADDY'S LOG CABIN
Paper Piecing for the 21st Century
Paper piecing can be a quilter's challenge. There are so many ways to get it wrong, right?
Wrong! I've taken the mystery out of paper piecing by making it easy to do and much faster and efficient. But you'll have to be the judge of that.
I've often heard that Log Cabin is a great beginner's pattern. I call shenanigans! Even after all these years of quilting, the Log Cabin remains a pattern I've yet to do. Why? Because it's not as easy as I thought; however, paper piecing it makes it much easier.
This the traditional log cabin with a bit more of a contemporary look, which makes it, as far as I'm concerned, "Not Your Daddy's Log Cabin"
THINGS TO HAVE ON HAND
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Your pre-cut fabric
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Sewing machine with a new needle, thread, bobbin, all-purpose foot and a ¼” foot
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Pins, and just in case...seam ripper
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Rotary cutter (with a new blade)
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Pen or pencil
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6" x 12" rotary cutting ruler
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Cutting mat -9' x 12" is fine
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Highlighter (Pink, green, blue, orange, but NOT yellow)
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12" Add-a-Quarter ruler – optional but helpful
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Fabric and Paper scissors
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Invisible Scotch Tape
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For Virtual Classes Only:
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A Fresh Elmer's Disappearing Purple Glue Stick
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Your printed patterns (for virtual classes only)
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LET'S TALK FABRIC
I think what makes this quilt so striking is the use of only 3 fabrics...a lighter fabric, which becomes almost the focus fabric, a dark fabric, which is kinda like a background fabric, and solid black. The black strips helps create the illusion of curves as well as a stained glass look. That doesn't mean you have to follow the same guidelines, but I would recommend that you at least stick with the solid black. Your other fabrics can be colors of your choice. But I do recommend darker and lighter fabrics for good contrast. I also chose fabrics that appear solid from a distance, but have an allover print.
Each finished block measures 10" x 7 1/2 "
The wall hanging measures 60" x 45" without borders.
CUTTING SPECS
You can cut your segments (logs) in two different ways:*
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First you can cut the fabric by using the chart as it's written. You'll have all the "logs" and triangles you'll need along with extra strips of fabric. So you'll have plenty of extra pre-cut strips for more blocks or to use in case you have any need for extra segments.
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Or you can cut the widest strips first and 1 fewer of each of the subsequent strips. Count the number of segments you have and then use the leftover fabric from the previous strip(s) to cut the remainder, giving you the total number you need. For instance, cut three 11" black strips and then cut the number of "logs" you'll need. Then you'll cut three 8" strips, count the number of logs you have, and then make up the difference from the leftover 11" strip, etc. If this makes no sense to you, go with the first option.
* There are lots of "logs" to cut. For class it's best to cut just a sampling, maybe one strip to start, so that you don't have a log jam:)
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Start with at least 3-1/2 yards of Black Fabric and 2 yards of Light Fabric and
2 yards of Dark Fabric.
Then cut your logs and triangles as shown below:
Not Your Daddy's Log Cabin©
For the Logs
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Color
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Black
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Light
Fabric
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Dark
Fabric
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# of Strips
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4
4
3
2
4
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2
2
1
2
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2
2
1
2
Strip Width
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11"
8"
6-1/4"
4-1/4"
3-1/4"
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8-1/4"
6"
4-1/2"
3-1/4"
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8-1/4"
6"
4-1/2"
3-1/4"
Cut Into
Logs
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2" x 11"
2-1/14" x 8"
1-1/4" x 6-1/4"
1-1/2" x4-1/4"
1" x 3-1/4"
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1-1/2" x 8-1/4"
1-3/4" x 6"
1" x 4-1/2"
1-1/4" x 3-1/4"
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1-1/2" x 8-1/4"
1-3/4" x 6"
1" x 4-1/2"
1-1/4" x 3-1/4"
Total # of
Logs
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72
72
72
72
144
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36
36
36
36
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36
36
36
36
For the Triangles
Color
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Light Fabric
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Dark Fabric
# of
Strips
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3
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3
Strip Width
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3-1/2"
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3-1/2"
Rectangle
Size
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2-1/2" x 3-1/2"
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2-1/2" x 3-1/12"
Sub Cut into HRTs
(Half Rectangle Triangles)
Total # of
Triangles
36
(18 Pairs)
36
(18 Pairs)
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