i am thinking of doing an oldfashioned log cabin block. I was wondering what your alls opinion is on the width of the strips and center block. also, what color should the center block be?

Traditionally the center block is red, and the strips are 2-1/2 inch. But you can do anything you like. Tradition is tradition, but personal taste usually wins out!! :D :thumbup:

I agree with jljack. I have seen many variations of log cabin quilts. And I have made them with purple centers, green centers, and red centers. Traditionally a red center stood for the hearth, or heart, of the home. It represented the love and warmth inside. From there you normally do 3 - 5 rounds of strips. Size and number of rounds will determine your block size, or decide how big you want your blocks to be, divide by the number of rounds and that will determine your strip width.

Did I explain this OK?

thanks for the advice.

Yes Shirlin, it is clear. Thanks for the history. I will keep these replies.

I recently made a log cabin using 2 1/2" strips but thought it seemed too big for a square. My daughter just started one using 2" strips and the little bit of difference was more pleasing to me. As was mentioned, its all in personal preference. A log cabin always seems to come out looking great and there are so many ways to lay out the blocks.

There were three traditional colours for the centre block.
Red for the fire in the hearth.
Yellow for the light in the window.
Black representing a recent death.
Today ... any colour in the centre ... or if doing a scrappy, you don't need to be consistent in the centre block.

Logs can be whatever size you want. I saw one done the other day wiht 6" logs ... and have seen them as small as 1" logs (before stitching!)

Personally I like the 1" finished (cut at 1-1/2") or 1-1/2" finished logs ... keeps it a little more delicate. But that's personal!

Anything goes !!!!!!

I just purchased fabric for a log cabin for a friend's son who will graduate HS next year. I am doing 2 fabrics only for the light/dark and a third for the center block. School colors are black/gold so those are my light/dark fabrics and I chose a 'reddish gold' for the center block for the 'traditional' red center. If I can I plan to do a star layout with the black in the center and then hope to applique the school letters in the center. I'm also planning on a 2 1/2" center sq. with 2 1/2 in. strips.