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.

So I have 3 quilted now. The most quilting is on the yellow one, and it's very pretty, but just too much starting and stopping. I knotted off and cut more threads off the ends than are in it. The other two, I've used the middle of the strip like the pictures above. I took someone else's suggestion and SITD next to the skinny border and in the middle of the wider borders. Then I made a square template and put it on point and there are repeating diamonds in the fat borders. I'm really happy with how they are turning out. I wish it didn't take so long to mark them, but I couldn't find my tape. I'll post pics as soon as I can. My batteries are recharging so I can take more pictures! I would have never thought of going down the middle of the piece without starting this thread! Thanks guys!

We R waiting with bated breath for the pictures. I want to start a log cabin & am anxious to see how yours is turning out.

Thanks Amandasgramma and Jerry for the idea on quilting log cabins. I like the way the beginning centre block is done, I would never have thought of that. I am a grandma, have taken up quilting again, but sewing straight lines quilting on a cot border was beyond me.

I was nervous about the water soluble fabric marking pens I've had for years, I tested some hoping they would also be "air soluble" by disappearing overnight, but those pen marks were still on the test piece of material three days later. I was too nervous to use any marking pen by now. I was stumped. I seized a roll of masking tape out of the drawer, laid it down on the quilt border where I wanted those straight lines, sewed along the edge of the tape (it was the right width) with the walking foot, giving lovely straight lines. By the way, I have never been able to sew straight.

I enjoy the tips in this forum.
Anna

This is a trick I use often and which works well - I also like the economy of using a quilting "template" I can use over and over. I especially like the no residue factor of the painter's tape.

I want to see pictures, too!!!!!

Thank you Amandasgramma (and Jerrie) I would never have thought to straight stitch a log cabin like that, and I would never have figured out how the quilting is started in the centre square the way it is in the photo.
Anna

Here are some pictures. Sorry it took me so long. Been wrestling with the setup on the new camera.

Aqua/orchid top:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...XmasRunner.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z.../Ruthblock.jpg

Quilting on the aqua/orchid runner:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...hquilting1.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...hquilting2.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...hquilting3.jpg

Here is the red and green one. It was looking too Christmasy and it's not supposed to, so I added a BRIGHT lime backing to give it a bit of a kick. The recipient loves green and red together, so I know she'll know it's not just a Christmas decoration:

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...XmasRunner.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...DonnaBlock.jpg

Here is the quilting:
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...aquilting2.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...aquilting1.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...aquilting3.jpg

Here is the pastel yellow and green one. I did the most quilting on this one, and realized I cannot put that much time and thread and starting/stopping into one small runner. I'll never get them done! This one creates flowers on the back (if you look really close) and repeated melon shapes in the borders. Again, you have to look close. The picture stinks.

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...XmasRunner.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...1/JoyBlock.jpg

The pictures of the top didn't come through I'll try to take some more that don't stink.
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...yquilting1.jpg

I would probably quilt the log cabin runners in a diagonal grid, so there's no threads to tie off and no stopping and starting. Its so much faster.
Sharon W. in Texas

What is a diagonal grid?

How nice stitching in the middle of the block will look. Thank you Amandasgramma for sharing this tip. I'm sure I have seen a quilt stitched this way before but I didn't atually notice the stitching. LOL

I agree with the diagonals stitching for easier and faster quilting. Plus, it always looks very nice.

Love your runners that you have made.

Such good ideas. Sorry I cannot be of help

Ahhh...cross hatch. I thought that would increase the amounts of stopping and starting. Right now, I'm about 20 times per runner. It was almost twice that when I quilted the yellow one. I don't think I know how to do it to get to one stop at start.