It depends on how fast you want to make your quilt. If you want fewer blocks that make up fast, then use a larger center and wider strips. If you want a bunch of smaller units, then use smaller/narrower elements.

This is where it pays to pull out your graph paper and colored pencils, and play with the finished look before you cut anything.

There are quilt programs out there that will do the same thing, but I guess I'm "old school."

Mine don't curl. I think it saves fabric for me because if precut I would want to cut it a little longer just to be sure. It works for me, maybe not for others.

I always use strips - the way eleanor burns does - I don't even cut too many strips - I cut as I go and square up each time - I don't cut way too many strips and I think you save fabric when you don't cut all the strips at once.... And you save time and less likely to make a mistake....

Iam working on my first log cabin and it is pieced and quilted at the same time. I pre cut all my scraps on the cross grain, and guess what, even with a walking foot they are stretching about a half inch on 12 or 13, SO I question the logic of precutting except for having to stop and start. The first square went REALLY fast, and its an 18 x 18 finished. The math for figuring out the strip sizes nearly finished me, but I had to do that first, or I would have been way off on my ydgs. Don't think I will ever cut another lc on the crossgrain.l :-D

SO RIGHT!!!

Thank you for asking your question CJR other wise I may have made a costly error making a log cabin quilt. I will definately follow all the advise to cut as you go, not pre cut my logs.

Happy quilting...Andie :thumbup:

I have the Marti Michel Log Cabin ruler and I have used it for almost everything except Log Cabin blocks. LOL.
I have better luck doing it Eleanor Burns style and cutting and squaring up as I go.
It's really a matter of personal perference. If you find you like to precut though it might be worth investing in the Marti Michel ruler. It does make it more difficult to screw up.
Have fun!

I made my first quilt -- a log cabin -- without knowing much of anything. I had Judy Martin's newest book, not realizing that 20 years earlier I had her first that I gave to my mother-in-law and she made a quilt for my husband & me.

Anyway, Judy suggests precutting BUT not across the grain, she suggests the lenghtwise direction. I did what she said, the quilt went together perfectly. Didn't realize when I took it to the quilter that I was supposed to square it up. SURPRISE, that wasn't a problem, it was perfectly square -- A twin size quilt I made for my Uncle.

If I remember that's the quilt I have for a photo.

Don't know what went right; but, it did.

I only precut the 1st two strips. After that it's stitch and trim.
QUESTION: When I trim a strip, I always do it BEFORE I open it up and press it. Curious as to how everyone else does it??

I have done it both ways. Do whatever works for you.

I used the Quilt in a Day by Eleanor Burns (I think), strip piecing and it is much quicker that cutting each piece. I did it as my first quilt, that is how easy it was

Laurie, I cut before I open it up also but I don't press until I am done with the whole block! My Bernina shop owner told me that is how Kaye England taught her. ( a national quilt teadher). I tried it and LOVED IT. I square up the block after I press it.

Less stretching if you press when the block is done. Let me know what you think. :D :D

Remember there is such a thing as a 'wonky' log cabin block. It doesn't have perfect rectangular sides at all. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I saw it. But it was truly a block after my own heart. Only the finished block was squared ... and not necessarily with the hearth in t he center.

ali

I ese Eleanor Burns' method for piecing log cabin blocks....she does not precut, and neither do I. I have never had a block curl.........but I have, before I began using HER method, had logs precut and they were too short....ugh....her method is great, as you true up as you piece, so you wind up with perfect blocks........[/quote]


Ditto her directions are really easy to follow. believe me, if i can follow them, anybody can

I press each seam as I go IF I will cross it with another seam. I find it keeps the blocks more true.

I use the Marti Mitchell rulers for Log Cabins. I like them because they are precise. I felt like I didn't have control of the material when I did them the Eleanor Burns way.

I cut after I press, but I also make sure the ruler is lined up the whole way down the block, not just the end piece, so it's square, and I suspect that would work whether you pressedthe strip flat or not.

I also have Marti Michelles' LC ruler; have used it for 2 quilts and love it. Prior to that I made at least a dozen using Eleanor Burns method. Both are easy. Just make sure you SQUARE UP AS YOU GO or your cabins won't line up. Also, do your best to sew an accurate 1/4"; sure makes squaring up easier.

Josi in FL

Thank you for posting the delawarequilts.com Website. In all of my searches for good quilting sites through the years, that's one I haven't come across. I used your link to go to it and browse for a while. The log cabin pattern is explained and illustrated really well. The Website is great!After seeing all of those pretty quilts and free patterns to make them, I see that I really do need to buy more fabric. :D

since my log cabin blocks are very scrappy, I cut as I go. By doing it this way I can adjust my strip widths a bit if I need to. I have never had a block curl. Here are a couple of my log cabin quilts.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...45965719yrKJro

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...45965719chaqYB

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...45965719YrVOyp

Ah yes, but, do you remember to toss the scraps over your shoulder???? LOL! Eleanor Burns helped me make my first well made quilt.

Same here...and if they did come in they couldn't get through the stash to find me.



:thumbup:

Not to repeat everyone, but I don't precut my strips when I make a log cabin, I think that is the beauty of the pattern, you can use up alot of your scapes and make a beautiful thing...This is my favorite quilt to make because I can completly do it my way...

What, we have to use all the gadgets we use. I am in serious trouble. :lol: :lol:

I've paper-pieced mine. Precut the pieces and paper-pieced. They came out perfect.

I've made numerous log cabin quilts. I took a class using Eleanor Burn's book at a LQS many years ago. I use her method and my blocks always turn out great!

lmao

I have done the logs both ways. I really did not think one way was better than the other. I do remember once when several of us were making a quilt together and one of them was left handed we realized that the logs were going around differently. It really does not matter which way they go, as long as for the same project they need to go the same way.

madamekelly,
I do not understand the phrase toss "scraps over your shoulder"? I know this is a stupid question, but it has me curious.

It is Eleanor Burn's little 'thing' she does as she rotary cuts. If there are scraps she throws them over her shoulder.