I have made 8 or 9 little log cabin table runners in all my friends favorite colors. Now that I have them all done, I'd like to straight line quilt each of them. I need to get to know the "new" machine I bought for quilting, so what better way to practice?

I'll post pictures of one, mainly cause I need to go picture them all.

The blocks are about 5.5 or 6" finished and there are 12 of them. 2 rows of 6 with borders around. Again, I'll go take a picture and post it so you can see what I'm talking about.

I do not want to FMQ on these, just straight lines...just trying to figure out what would be best.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Melissa

I swiped this picture from Jerrie here on this forum. Here's what I would do if I wanted just straight lines. Notice....the stitching is in the middle of the strips -- not stitching in the ditch.

i agree

That's a good idea. Doing two blocks in a row would only have me stopping 6 times. The inner border/migraine was an inch...so 1/2" FINISHED (again, it was a migraine). I can probably stitch down the middle of that too....then perhaps some diamonds in the outer border? They are 4 four borders in all, one 1/2 inch finished, 2 that are 1 inch finished and one that is 4 inches...I could probably do diamonds or other square/spirals....still thinking. Pictures coming soon. I took pics of all of them, now to wrestle them off hubbies phone! Thank you. I'm searching around the board too, I know I'm not the only one to ask this.

Yes, your ideas are good! Some of the borders (the 1/2" one for example don't even need to be quilted!!! If you quilted (stitch in the ditch) around that border, the border would stand out and look nice.

You could also divide the blocks as if they were square pies...through the center of each block both ways (horizontal and vertical) and then again from corner to corner both ways. Should be able to do that from edge to edge with no turns or stops. Does that make sense? Like a + and an X in each block.

That certainly makes sense Ghostrider. I was basting some today and am thinking about drawing out the tops on graph paper and then making quilt lines to try and see what I like best. Since there are so many spots where the darks of the blocks come together, almost look like flowers, I was thinking about highlighting that, but I don't know what to do in the lighter portion of the block. I wish I knew how to use notepad or paint pad or whatever people use to try and audition quilt lines, then I wouldn't have to draw it all out.

I did lots of SITD on log cabins. I think it gives them a nice finished look.

I like to use blue painters tape to mark my straight lines for quilting . It goes so fast that way. Just a thought to whatever straight line design you choose.

I took my graph paper and drew out three prototypes. One incorporated the mid-strip straight line like the first picture answer, one is like the pie that Ghostrider was describing, another one kind of came to me when I was just drawing it out. I took the pics and now need to upload them to this thread to see what you guys think of the drawings.

I've wanted to make log cabins for a long time. I've made one 12 1/2" one in a sampler and one 12 1/2" courthouse steps in a different sampler. This was the first time where I made all log cabins in the project. I'm really looking forward to people's responses! I got 2 of them basted today and two more have the backings and battings, but my knees weren't up to more crawling on the floor.

I'd like to get into using the painter's tape, but I think I would need to have ideas for the straight lines first and I'm all out of those.