I need some advice from your collective wisdom! I am about to start a log cabin quilt with 3"strips (2 1/2" finished). Some instructions advise sewing the strips on to a muslin backing. Is this a good idea? What is the purpose of the backing?

I am not a new quilter, but I mostly do applique, and have never pieced a log cabin block. What advice do you have about using the muslin or not, and about piecing log cabin quilts in general?

Thanks
J.

Are you doing foundation/paper piecing? If you don't want the extra bulk you can do it with paper and carefully tear out the paper after the block is done. Log cabins can also be done without foundation/paper piecing them also--just have to be more careful for accuracy that's all.

i have never used backing on a log cabin

I hadn't either until I started paper piecing :D

I didn't paper piece or use muslin on any of the three log cabin quilts I made. If the blocks aren't perfect when they're done use a big square ruler and square them up.

With that wide of strips don't understand need of muslin. I've never and done a few variations of log cabins.

I never use muslin or do paperpieced Log blocks. Just do careful 1/4" seams,
and every so often square up your blocks. Also press as you go along!

Me either. :?

have never used PP or muslin for any of my log cabin quilts, keep seams all the same and press after each log is put on, have never had to sq, up my blocks.

my first log cabin I did was a quilt as you go using 3 layers. 6 in total to get the layers going. you do have to press as you go but it was so quick even the blocks I put inbetween the log cabins where quilt as you go once you made the strips of blocks it was easy to quilt as you go and it all came to gether very nicely.