Marti Michell's Rulers
 

So the ones I'm asking about today is the Log Cabin Rulers she has. Some years ago, I decided to give a Log Cabin a shot and it wasn't what I expected it to be. It was enough that I didn't even save the quilt top, I threw it out it was that bad.

I was looking on YouTube the other night trying to find my background noise and I came across Quilting from The Heartland, so I plugged in the playlist and let it go. While I was working on my hexagon quilt, I heard her talk about the log cabin, so I stopped what I was doing, rolled over to my laptop and watched her. I've learned a lot from Shar Jorgensen, I really like how she explains things and it gave me enough confidence that I think my next project is going to be a Log Cabin quilt. Once I got on her website and saw how expensive her templates were, I realized I was going to have to go another route to do this quilt, so I got on Amazon and found Marti Michell.

I'm thinking of getting the ruler for the 1 inch and 2 inch logs for a 12-inch block. Has anyone else used her rulers?

I have that ruler but rarely use it. I simply cut my centers, then cut strips the width I want to use as logs. I sew them around and cut as I go, using (horrors!) scissors. I square up at the end. Sometimes the blocks are a tiny bit wonky this way, but I'm not one for precision. If you are, by all means get the ruler as it gives you the exact length for cutting your logs.

No help from here, as I paperpiece my log cabins

I have all her log cabin rulers and I adore them! I cut out and made a king size top in a week with her ruler! She also has a few log cabin books that are meant to be used with her rulers and I highly suggest getting at least one of them. The key to success is in how you cut, how you assemble and how you press. I don’t know if she still has her class on Bluprint, but she had a class when it was Craftsy called Better Faster Log Cabins and it’s aptly titled! If it’s still available I highly recommend purchasing the class!
May I ask what issues you encountered with you last attempt at a Log Cabin? I’m sure there are many that would love to help!

I am working on a log cabin quilt now. A curvy log cabin to be exact. I am with you, its not what I was expecting. I don't know what I was expecting.. but this is different. I am definitely trimming more than I am sewing :) :)

I have never looked at Shar Jorgenson's log cabin templates. I do have her double wedding ring templates and I am very very happy with them.(I looked at her log cabin templates ... they are not the log cabin blocks that I think of as log cabin blocks. It is a very pretty block tho) I understand not wanting to spend a fortune on templates, but if I will make several quilts with them I will splurge. (I hope to be able to make DWR quilts for my nieces and nephews... and my kids as they get married)

I have not used the Marti Michelle ruler. The LQS owner really likes her stuff. I am using the creative grids template. I might be half way through the quilt top now... and I have been working on this for over 2 years :) :)

I learned to quilt watching Eleanor Burns on Sunday afternoon. She (Used to) make her blocks a little bigger and trimmed them to size. After almost 30 years, I still do this. I like to use the Creative Grids log cabin rulers for this reason. You can view their videos on YouTube to see this technique.
When I taught quilt classes, I told my students that I wasn't a perfect piecer. But I knew how to make it look perfect.

First, I must say, I have not used any of the rulers, so this comment is coming from a different direction.

For the best precision of any log cabin blocks, Jordan's is the place to go. Matt does such precision cutting. All the seams are a scant quarter. Once you figure out where that is, there will be no squaring up at the end. https://jordanfabrics.com/collections/matts-hand-cuts

Edited to add: As a long time apparel sewer, I have learned that if you cut the logs on the length of fabric, as opposed to going across which is Width of Fabric, you will have much less stretchiness and problems.

I've made more log cabin quilts than any other type. If I'm in a slump, I usually turn to a log cabin because it's simple, mindless sewing, and it can be put together so many different ways. Even my avatar is a log cabin! I think the reason I find log cabins easy is that I started with Judy Martin's log cabin books. Her methods involve no special rulers. For best results, cut the logs on the length of the fabric, and cut them all to the proper length before sewing. (I don't always cut on the length of the fabric when using scraps.) There is absolutely no trimming during construction of the block, and I have never felt it necessary to trim after the block is completed. Each log should fit exactly when it is sewn on, and if it doesn't then you know you need to figure out why and fix it immediately. Usually the problem is that your seam allowance is a little too large, or too small, but once you get that right the rest of the blocks will go together easily. Cutting the logs to size in advance takes less time overall than cutting each one as you sew it. (If you think about it, that cut has to be made sooner or later, it's just a question of when.) If you cut the log in advance, you have a much higher probability of the log being the right size. The picture is one of my favorite log cabin layouts.

Dunster, I am collecting fabric now to make your avatar log cabin. I am looking forward to this!

I have her DWR templates and swear by them. I have made 6 DWR quilts using her templates and never had a failure. The templates are well made and are easy to use. She gives a great deal of information on the various ways they can be used to be perfect. You will love them.