Best Way to Make Log Cabin
03-10-2012, 04:44 AM
#21
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03-10-2012, 04:52 AM
#23
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Location: North of Boston, MA, USA
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Guess my way is the Eleanor Burns way. I make scrappy log cabins, so I am not going to worry about perfection. I use a square ruler and check that my block stays square with each trim. I usually work on about 24 blocks at a time, all in a different stage of construction.
03-10-2012, 04:56 AM
#24
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Location: Sturbridge, Ma
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Benartex has some preprinted foundations on fabric for many designs. these are accurate and easy to do and have instructions printed right on the fabric. The searies which contains abut 12 designs is called "Foundatiokn By The Yad" and comes in 46" panels. They have a log cabin design.
03-10-2012, 06:20 AM
#26
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Location: Mableton, GA
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For me, the strip piecing method of Eleanor Burns works best. I tried the Judy Martin way and found pre-cutting all those strips was way too boring for me. Also would not paper-piece this pattern because it adds so much work to the process.
I have not had any difficulty at all getting accurate blocks with the strip method, so it's hard for me to understand what is going wrong for others. I do not prewash fabric (but do test for colorfastness), so the strips I use still have the manufacturer's sizing. These yield more accurate results than prewashed fabric that is not starched before cutting. (I have wondered if this is part of the problem for others.) I also use moleskin to create a physical guide for my seam allowances. This means I can sew fast and still maintain accurate seam allowances. (Just using my eyes and a visual mark does not work nearly as well for me in terms of accuracy, not to mention speed.) Maybe this is the reason my blocks always come out fine?
Also, log cabin blocks are not that fussy in terms of accuracy. There are no points being cut off, for example. If a block of mine were to come out too wonky, I would just use spray starch to "block" it into submission (a la the Sharon Schamber way on Youtube). However, I can say that I have never had to actually do this, and all of my log cabin quilts turned out fine.
I have not had any difficulty at all getting accurate blocks with the strip method, so it's hard for me to understand what is going wrong for others. I do not prewash fabric (but do test for colorfastness), so the strips I use still have the manufacturer's sizing. These yield more accurate results than prewashed fabric that is not starched before cutting. (I have wondered if this is part of the problem for others.) I also use moleskin to create a physical guide for my seam allowances. This means I can sew fast and still maintain accurate seam allowances. (Just using my eyes and a visual mark does not work nearly as well for me in terms of accuracy, not to mention speed.) Maybe this is the reason my blocks always come out fine?
Also, log cabin blocks are not that fussy in terms of accuracy. There are no points being cut off, for example. If a block of mine were to come out too wonky, I would just use spray starch to "block" it into submission (a la the Sharon Schamber way on Youtube). However, I can say that I have never had to actually do this, and all of my log cabin quilts turned out fine.
03-10-2012, 06:48 AM
#27
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Coastal Bend of TX
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Another vote for Eleanor Burns method from me. It has clear instructions that are easy to follow, sew 1/4" and you never have wonky squares. It goes together fast as you chain piece making multiple blocks at the same time. Hers was the first quilt I made. She has a great book "Quilt in a Day".
03-10-2012, 07:23 AM
#28
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Indiana
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LOL....I am the exact opposite. I think it is faster if your cut the individual pieces but I think it comes out better if you do the EB way and square it with each round. There is no way I would paper piece this. It is my favorite block to see and a cinch to put together in hundreds of ways. I love the Log Cabin
03-10-2012, 08:47 AM
#29
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Las Cruces, NM
Posts: 751
I agree Eleanor Burns....I made one as my second quilt and it turned out perfect! I find piecing log cabins block by block very boring....but just me! What ever you decide has to fit you and get the results you can accomplish. Good luck ...I'm making one too soon to use up some fabric don't forget to share!
03-10-2012, 05:50 PM
#30
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Being somewhat obsessive, it precut the strips. Then every round, I measure the block and square it up if required. Then square up the finished block if needed. Tried to strip piece one, but it just didnt't work well for me.
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