When my guild made a group log cabin quilt, we made the last round wider, then trimmed the block to a standard size. The quilt tuned out great and no one noticed the differing sizes.

If you can, please post link to buy this ! Thank you - I'm a gadget hound !

Same here. It's so much easier that way!

Thank you ! I just found the new Niagra non-aerosol starch at my grocery and have been using it
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Niagara-No...22-oz/20630093

and was wondering if I could refill it with good old liquid starch mixed with water - can you give me the proportions you use ?

Are you using starch? Starch seems to reduce the amount of distortion when pressing pieces of fabric. And I, too, often resort to cutting pieces larger than I need, sewing two pieces together and then measuring and trimming the excess. I too, don't know why it's so hard to be precise, but the two suggestions I've given you have helpd me quite a bit.

Have any of you see a real log cabin! One of the charms is the fact that the logs go from wider to more narrow and the next row of logs goes from narrower to wider. I think that sometimes we fuss and worry and take a lot of delight out of our quilts because we don't want anyone to be able to think we aren't perfect. Nothing is perfect. Log cabin quilts made with some slight differences only add to the joy of the quilt. I have used the log cabin concept to frame pictutes (fairy prints, for instance) and made them wonky just to give magic and movement to the quilt. The GD that got that quilt spent 20 minutes laying on it, looking at each fairy, ideas silently going through her head, before she ran to me and thanked me several times with several kisses. She was about 6 then, she is 10 now and an incredible artist! The quilt really does look almost alive!

Your lines on the cutting board may be your problem. They are not as accurate as a ruler. Use your ruler to measure the distance from the 0 to say the 12" line ... does it match?

You may want to use paper piecing to get things just right

I've made log cabin blocks using 1 1/2" strips, and no matter how careful I was each block was slightly different. Since they were just for placemats, I squared up each block to the same size. Having said that, I just finished making a queen size log cabin quilt using 2" strips. After each round, I squared up each block to the same size, then did the same after each round, even if it was only just a tiny trim - the quilt turned out beautifully and I'm very happy with it - just sent it to my niece to LAQ it for our family reunion in July as she has a long-arm. The one time I got absolutely perfect blocks was when I paper pieced the log cabin blocks. Hope this helps, but 1 1/2" strips can be a little challenging - but take it one step at a time and you'll do fine.

I've had success with three methods: trim/square up each round of logs and paper piecing and foundation. The first takes extra time to cut, the second takes extra time to remove the paper and the third is very heavy. I've never needed to use starch but your picture shows tremendous improvement, worth a try. I'd like to check out the Judy Martin book. Another method I've used is something like each log has it's own size, exaggerated. I make it wonky and trim up the block at the end to the finished size-this gives a lot of movement and fun. It's certainly not traditional, but then neither am I.