Log Cabin Show 'N' Tell



Wow, summer is now officially behind us and the upcoming holidays are quickly approaching.  Hard to believe!  This summer I've tried to spend every spare minute when I am not working or wrapped up in day to day living quilting my unquilted tops.  Although it's been such a relief to finally complete several quilts all the way down to the binding, sleeve, and label, I think I grew a bit tired of it after awhile.  I was so anxious to get back to what I truly love the most, piecing!  So the last four weeks I've been doing just that. . .  

In early August I took a break from machine quilting and decided it was time to piece a new top. . . .hooray!  And what could be more fun than a traditional log cabin to use up MORE of my scrappy strip stash.  I've gone a bit overboard over the last couple of years with these strips, I admit.  But it is such a convenience to just open up a plastic bin and start sewing with strips I've had cut and continue to cut in between projects.

I decided to make this log cabin for my husband, partly to celebrate a milestone birthday he is having this December.  But it really came about after he made a comment to me that I've made everyone a quilt except for him!  And he was right, I have never made him his very own quilt!  Although it really never dawned on me that he didn't consider all the quilts I've made to date for our home his quilts, too.  But let's face it, most men don't go for quilts in pastels and Easter egg colors!

So I asked him what quilt pattern he would like and his choice was the log cabin pattern.  And it turned out to be the perfect choice.  I went through two closets of fabric and cut strips from any fabric that remotely looked like a man's shirt, underwear, or pajamas, anything fishing or surfing related (his two favorite passions), any fabrics with dogs and even some tropical  prints thrown in for fun and added those to my ever growing bin of scrappy strips.  I even cut up a few of his own shirts and funny print boxer shorts that he no longer wore!  That was a ton of fun and it really gives him something to talk about now.

I separated the strips by value first, lights and darks, and then by colors.  The blocks are foundation-pieced and finish at 7 1/2" with the strips finishing at 3/4" wide.  The top measures 75" square.  I am currently marking the top in a simple grid for quilting and will hopefully get the quilting completed in the next couple of weeks. 

Another bit of recent excitement is the recent release of the book 500 Traditional Quilts by Lark Crafts.  I am so honored to have two of my quilt featured in this inspirational book of amazing quilts.

Summer at the Lake. . .

. . .and Blooming in Chintz are featured.  Both of these quilts will also be part of the 500 Traditional Quilts traveling exhibit beginning this fall in Houston at International Quilt Festival.  The exhibit will travel through next summer 2015 as part of the many shows Quilt Festival hosts.  If you have the opportunity to visit one of the shows, I'm sure it will be very exciting to see many of the quilts featured in this book in person.

Happy Quilting!

Christmas Log Cabin

Since most of us are in the Christmas spirit (or at least trying to be!), I'd thought I'd share one of my favorite antique quilts in my collection that I pull out every year to display for the holidays.

 Years ago a friend of mine's mother was an avid estate sale shopper and eventually helped run estate sales.  She was a fabulous source for antique quilts. . .that is, until she started keeping them for herself!  But I did manage to acquire a few very nice ones from her for very little money, this being one of them.

 An acquaintance of my husband's was married to a quilt appraiser.  So for the fun of it I showed this quilt to her just to get her input on when it was made.  She was so excited when I showed it to her because it contains such a wide variety of scraps from over several decades and it is in such perfect condition as well.

 One of the things that she pointed out was several of the fabrics looked more "modern" than the majority of the others and that led her to believe this quilt was made in the 1920s with a very old scrap collection that dated back to the late 1800s or earlier.  I thought this was so appropriate of a typical quilter, even from today!  We tend to hoard every piece of scrap fabric, no matter how old, "just in case" we need it for that perfect spot in a quilt!  I know I have a very difficult time throwing any size away, no matter how small.

Since I don't have a lot of red in my house, this quilt doesn't stay out year round.  But I always thought it would be so beautiful to hang in a room that was decorated in reds.  It has such a wide appeal with its scrappiness and graphic impact not to mention it is such a classic pattern.  Log Cabin quilts have always been such a favorite with everyone for that reason, I think.