Had always admired log cabin quilts.So after getting my feet wet by piecing a couple tops,it was time to make my fav.
A mag article saying log cabin quilts were soooo easy & great for beginners was all it took.
Knowing nothing about fabric grain,squaring blocks or using a quarter inch seam...a straight seam, you can imagine the results.
It was a few yrs & a few quilts later before I stopped admiring long enough to admit what a wonky quilt it was.

That was 20 yrs ago & I've never had the nerve to make another LC:-)

I feel your pain, I hated the log cabin I made many years ago. The blocks did not come out sq. or even and I will never attempt another one even though I have made many quilts since then that turned out wll.

Same here! Me log cabin nemisis is corduroy to add to the frustration level...

I made one block and I think right then and there I didn't want to make more. They are wonderful to look at though.

Wow-I thought it was just me!! Thanks ladies-I was feeling like dumb blonde; glad I'm not the only one who had trouble with this "so easy" block!!

Okay - I just marked the Log Cabin off my to-do list. Any other ones??? :D :thumbdown:

When I first started quilting I had the same experience. Determined to make it look right, I made my own paper template and paper pieced it. Success. Straight, Squared and beautiful.

I love doing Log Cabin.

If you are having a hard time with log cabins, or anything else, try paper piecing, it comes out perfect!

I've made 2 Log Cabibs and it's a favorite of mine.

Never tried log cabin, but I'll never understand why "Warm Wishes" is considered easy.

I have a book on "woodpile" blocks, the easier log cabin. Some beautiful designs and guaranteed to be easy. I just don't care for log cabin's for me.

I did a log cabin recently, made it completely scrappy which was much too much complicated for me, and then the blocks weren't square. Arggghhh!

But, when I sewed them together, it all came out right, and make a nice quilt. So would I do it again? Yes, but forget the scrappy!

Here are links to the two I've done:

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...01604069Sumfpf

and

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...01604069wCfvkU

If you look at all the seams that are piled one after another in a log cabin block, you can see how easy it is to mess up. If each seam were only a thread or two off and you add each up, then the whole block would be majorly off.

Log cabin blocks really are NOT for the beginner.

Oh, my - you did beautiful work.
Loved the fern in the background, too. My mother had one on a pedestile where the frons went clear to the floor - Me? - I get them home and they die.
Dodee

I think all of us had this problem in the beginning (and still do). Just remember, the more you do, (practice makes semi-perfect) the better your blocks will look. Remember, this is supposed to be fun! Just relax and enjoy the process.

I would PP this one too :D:D:D

I love paper piecing log cabin blocks... would never do a log cabin without it!

Makes me think of my sister. When I first started quilting 20 years ago, my sister wanted one. She didnt even own a machine and thought if I could do it she could---without even taking the classes that I took!

She went to Joann's and bought a pattern from the EZ Quilt Company thinking it was easy....NOT!!!! And proceeded to buy all the fabric to make a KING!! This thing was very pretty but had all these HST's. Then she cut ALL the fabric with no regard to bias or accurate 1/4 inch allowances. What's the dif if it's 1/8 or 1/4 or 3/8, she said.

She is just starting out, newly married and this was alot of money for her to spend. She comes crying to me with this disaster in tubs. It took me two years to salvage it into something that was still pitiful but done.

Any time somebody says this is an easy quilt, I just cringe.

I've always used the Quilt-in-a-day method for log cabins and have made dozens over the years. I think the trick is to add one light and one dark, then square all your blocks to the same size as you go along. I always found it a very forgiving pattern, allowing you to fudge things in, rather than rip out and re-sew.

I am not a fan of paper piecing - Love the look, but if I wanted that kind of aggravation, I would have stayed with my ex!

Been there, done that! My log cabin had all kinds of issues. Maybe I'll try again once I get an accurate 1/4" seam.

I agree, paper piecing makes it almost perfect.

I have trouble with ( of all things ) the puzzle blocks. It isn't supposed to be hard, but I just can't seem to get the right squares in the right place!

You did a great job!

I made a Log Cabin using old blue jeans. I made my "logs" a little wider. It turned out great, but it wasn't my first quilt.

Love them both but the star would be my fav. Nice work. Hope mine come out anywhere near as well as yours did. Doubtful but I can wish can't I?
:-D

If I was to make another braid quilt....never happen!....I'd make a
sample first.It's not hard,just tedious.My K size braid quilt...my 1st quilt
is so bias & floppy.Had no clue what I was doing :-)

Guess we all have a pattern or two that just doesn't work.

Your log cabin quilts are beautiful!

Wow, those are gorgeous!! I love, love, love the small "star" shaped one . . . I am working on a log cabin right now. It's definitely NOT a Quilt in a Day! Sheesh! :!:

They are both beautiful.

I love log cabins, but after having them all get wonky, too. Now I print out paper foundations and paper piece and they trun out perfectly!

I agree!!!
Paper piecing is the best way to go with a log cabin.
And I just do not understand why the quilting books and magazines all say "a log cabin is the easiest pattern for the beginner to use." That's a bunch of baloney! I can think of a lot more blocks that are much easier for a beginning beginner to start out with.

8-)

Where do you get the paper pieced pattern to print out? I might try that. I've never paper-pieced before.

Call me odd ...but I thought the log cabin was easy
:shock:
The 2nd quilt I ever made was a LC....I think it turned out nice and it went together easy....

ROTFLOL! I'm still with hubby after 37yrs but I completely understand about the PP/aggravation.

I am not a fan of paper piecing - Love the look, but if I wanted that kind of aggravation, I would have stayed with my ex![/quote]

I posted about a log cabin I was doing for a graduation gift. I thought I was going crazy.... It ended up looking OK but still had major mistakes that only I could tell. I may try another one in 10 years or so. :roll:

Oh that LC is so pretty.....looks like what I was hoping mine would look like.Didn't happen! Thanks for sharing the pics.

I didn't do a log cabin until my 10th or so quilt, and I remember thinking that I was glad I waited until I had a few under my belt before taking it on.

WOW...I'm amazed at all the negative comments. I think the Log Cabin is one of the greatest. I made a king size. And this was my second quilt. A kit I got. Pic. below.

Question....do you chain stitch your blocks.

Place center square on table....and second strip. If it's a kit, it will be cut. If it's not a kit. keep your second piece in a strip (don't cut into square). Sew first set of square on top of strip and continue down the strip placing the small square face down on strip close to the first. Then trim. This is your second square and do the same with third strip. Hope this makes sense.

When the last set is sewn,,,, all your blocks are complete at the same time and ready to join into quilt.

The date say 2009 but that's because I requested a photo from girlfriend who has the quilt. My color scheme changed from these colors and gave the quilt to her and her husband. And they are still using it on their bed.

I made this quilt 20 yers ago.