Alright ladies.....and gents........
I am working on a quilt that I will be donating to an auction. I wasn't sure what I was going to make until I started reading posts. I decided on doing a heart (log cabin style) and I almost have it done, well the middle part, that is. Now, (don't laugh) I have never done a log cabin, was pretty easy, I might add......
Let me get to the question....
How do I quilt it? I will probably hand quilt the darn thing, but do I quilt EVERY little strip or every other?
Any and all suggestions are wanted/needed.
I also have no clue as to when I have to have this done. They are still deciding on where/when to have this aution. The auction is a benefit for the Navy Submarine Community.

Also...if anyone digitizes embroidery, I could REALLY, REALLY use your help. I have misplaced my digitizing program during our move and had to reformat my computer. I lost all my programs I had. I am looking for someone who wouldn't mind making a pattern for me. I did have it at one time, but now it is gone. If someone could help me, I'd appreciate it.

Depends on your batting. Read the instructions on the bag. Some will tell you what size of stitching should be used. If it is the type that won't bunch up to much I would quilt every other strip just to get it it done faster. The old cotton batting our grandmothers used had to be stitched every inch. Good batting nowadays can be stiched 3 or 4 inches without trouble. Does this help. I've made a log cabin using a flannel blanket as filler and just stitched aroung each 12 inch square.

Thanks!
Maybe I'll do that, and then do the inside square.

I just finished quilting a Courthouse steps quilt yesterday and its very similar to the log cabin. all I did was quilt around the center square and then around the last strip. My strips were 2 1/2" wide. It turned out great. I machine quilted about an 1/8" away from the ditch. I also went around a couple of the borders the same width. Hope that helps. I'll be posting a photo of it shortly.

Cheers
Andrea

I'm thinking that's what I am going to do. Just want to take the easiest route possible since no one can give me an exact date as to when this needs to be done.
I was also asked if I could make some quilts for the local shelter for the homeless. They want them in 2 weeks. I laughed hysterically inside, but told the nice lady that there was NO WAY I could complete 2 twin size quilts, along with the 2 I am making now and have them completed in time. She looked hurt, but I told her that I could possibly make one, it would have to be hand tied, since that is a bit quicker and she agreed to that. Told her also, that she COULD NOT pick the colors since it would most likely be a hodge podge sort of thing.

I most do hand quilting. On log cabins I like to do an x through the square in the middle, then quilt right down the middle of each strip. It goes pretty quickly this way.

here is the heart part done.
I know there are some mistakes, but I didn't notice them until it was almost done. Those of us that KNOW log cabins, know the mistakes are there, but that's what makes quilts special, right?

Beautiful heart log cabin ...don't know if you have ever done any free motion quilting or not, but, if you have then I would do this: straight stitch with a walking foot in the ditch across and down each row...then free motion a heart inside each block.

Whatever you do it will be lovely, is this pattern from a book or just a pattern that you purchased? I would like to give it a try myself.
Happy quilting,
Lil Red :)

I was talking to a friend of mine and she gave me a GREAT idea. She said to quilt hearts in every log cabin square. I like that idea. She does come up with some good ones once in a while. :)
The pattern is actually one I found online with the help of this board. I did a Google search for Heart Log Cabin Quilts and found the one I made. It calls for some applique flowers inside the heart, but I am embroidering "My Heart Belongs To My Sailor" in the middle. Not sure how big I am actually going to make the whole thing, I'm thinking maybe between full size and queen. Still have to get that figured out. Then I will most likely hand quilt the hearts. Once it is all done, it will be donated to the Dolphin Scholarship Auction for children of Submarine Sailors.

it's looking great!!!!!!!!

I have made a log cabin wall hanging and stitched in the ditch in every ditch. It makes it pop really nice. But for a bigger size quilt, I would go the easy route... too many ditches. I think I actually stitched in the ditch on the borders and tied the sqares for my other log cabin quilts. Looks nice anyway. I just love the pattern!

Thanks for all the suggestions.
I meant to add that the white that is on the fabric is actually white and red. There are red squiggle lines that run thru it. I'm going to finish it off with the white fabric with 2 more rows at the top and bottom, then a small border, then another row around that, then bind it. That should make the entire quilt about 75x75.
I don't have the energy to do anything with it today since I was at the beach yesterday with the kiddo. They were doing a beach cleanup, which was actually a bust. Who would really think that a beach on a military base would be dirty? Nope, didn't happen. Instead, the kids just played around in the water, we bbq'd and we let the kids clean up that mess. There were 82 of them and they were REALLY good, I was amazed!! I stayed mainly in the shade, but forgot that you can sunburn with the sun reflecting off the water. I'm a bit on the toasty side, but I'll live. Just didn't think about it at the time. You would think I would know this from living on tropical island for the past 12 years. <sigh>