Valerie Ann

I make log cabins and want to start cutting with more accuracy. I have an Accuquilt and am torn between buying the 1 & 1/2 (finished) strip die or the log cabin die. Anyone have any advice or used the log cabin die for advice versus the 1 & 1/2 finished die?

Onebyone

I have the log cabin die. I like it because all the lengths fit perfectly, no measuring. The strip die will work fine just have to cut the strips to the lengths you want. I would buy the log cabin die if I had to make a choice. I don't use 1 1/2" strips that much for anything else.

willferg

I've wondered about that, too. If you use the die, though, you get a log in every size in one fabric, right? If you use the strips, you can cut them into whatever size log you need for that fabric. Hope that makes sense.

Onebyone

here is a video that may help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bqS1SSODZ8

Ms Kay

How would you use the log cabin die if you wanted different colors? I have seen the viedo but that was with just one color.

Onebyone

The video shows two color fabrics being cut. I put different color fabric pieces on the die. For the short lengths I use scraps. Just layer them up and cut. I separate lengths in dark and light piles after cutting. A flatware tray works great for this. I like the bamboo trays at Walmart. They stack and look nice too.

lakekids

This was one of the first dies that I got. I was using 6 different fabrics for the lights and the darks. I did not care where in the rounds that the various colors fit. In fact I made sure that I used a different light or dark for each round. For example, the center was purple. It would not be used anywhere else in the block. The next 2 logs were from 1 of the lights. then the next 2 were a different dark. By doing this I got to use all my darks and lights from each color in each block.

When cutting I just layered my darks and cut and then layered my lights and cut.