pieces

Hello Mike, buy a copy of Eleanor Burns, Quilt in a Day
Log Cabin Pattern. the best advise I can tell you when you make your log cabin, Be sure to use a ruler when you cut your fabric after adding a log. Use your squared ruler frequently. Once your blocks get off square you can't get them squared up again. A fun block/quilt to make.

Boston1954

Just make one block to start and get the feel of it. You will be surprised at how much confidence you can get from this. Go to quilterscache.com and see if she has the pattern. I am pretty sure that she does.

AliKat

Hi Michael,

I hope you have joined some sort of a quilting guild or group.

If possible, find or make a new friend who has the Electric Quilt program. You can audition your colors and fabrics with it ... and ... it will print out the amount of yardage needed for whatever design & size quilt you want.

If you are really new to quilting, I think the easiest pattern is Rail Fence. You learn a lot and it is more forgiving in some ways.

Have Fun with it!

Rainbow

Architects use vellum. They may have some 'end of rolls' for you....just a thought.

Mariah

Michael, Log Cabin is a very easy, fulfilling quilt to make. I was scared to death of it also, when I first started.
I finally learned that you can do the following and not have to have paper piece, templates, anything.
Just do this: 1. Start with a sqare of Red fabric, cut a scant 2and 1/2 " square.
2. Sew a light fabric to 1 side of that 2and 1/2" Square.
3. Turn the square with the 1 light pieced sewn. Now, take a another light piece and sew to the next side of the square you started with. BY THE WAY, ALL PIECES ARE 1' FINISHED; 1AND 1/2 TO START--TO ALLOW FOR THE SEAMS ; 1/4 IN. TO THE SQUARE, AND 1/4 TO THE NEXT PIECE OF FABRIC.
4. Now you are back to the first side--light piece. Sew another piece to the first side, which will be longer, as you are also sewing to the 2nd piece.
5. the same thing on the 2nd light piece.
6. Keep turning the work. Now you are at the dark side. Sew a dark piece to the 1st dark piece.
7Turn your work, another dark piece.
8. Keep going. Each piece will be getting longer.

***I am making my present Log Cabin with 15" squares, so I cut the pieces 15and1/2 in. long.
Just keep going until you reach the size block you want.
That is all there is to it!!
***Before I caught on, and a friend showed me this, I bought paper piecing print blocks from The Little Foot.com site.
I am just now getting registered enough to sell anything with the site. I have 2 pkgs. of them--10each pkg. When I clear to sell items online, if I still have them, I paid $10.00 each pkg. I will sell them both for $16.00 post pd.
If you don't understand this and think you want to try it, you can email me and I will try to clear it up for you.
[email protected]

quilts again

Way back in the late 70's I made E.B. log cabin baby quilts for a lot of baby gift. I tied them in those days - still often do.

ekbuckeye

Hi Michael, and welcome! I agree with the others about Eleanor Burns' book - you might even check your library to see if they might have it or could get it for you. The only other suggestion I would have is to carefully check your machine's 1/4" seam, and be careful when pressing so that you don't distort the seamlines. Get 4 light and 4 dark fat quarters or 1/4 yard strips, 1 FQ or strip for the center (traditionally red) and get started!

nette

I'm currently working on a paper pieced log cabin wall hanging called "Center St, USA" It's a smaller version of "Heart & Home" by Pennsylvania Quilter. I purchased the pattern and then found they had the complete foundation pack so purchased that. Think I like doing a regular log cabin better but having fun with this. Betty Neff is the designer and her email is [email protected]

wordmama

First of all, PP is very tedious but exact. I recommend using it for something hard like New York Beauty that would be killer to piece. You have gotten a lot of good advice above. I think you could have fun with a Rail Fence and practice rotary cutting and strip piecing.These two methods you will want to learn ASAP because they will help you get quilts done fast.

Good Luck!

bstanbro

I just made my first long cabin block for a BOM for my quilt guild. It was super simple. Start by sewing two two-inch squares together (or whatever size you want) and then just cut the next strips to the length you need (all the same width). It practically makes itself.