barnbum

sandpat--that sliver of green belongs to the barn quilt pictured below. :D I'm in the process of making the 32 log cabin squares for the border. The steps of its making are in the picture section somewhere....

annmarie--I love making log cabins. The easiet way to make them is to use the strip method where one strip is added to the square at a time as it's built. It all started with the "Talk-About" quilt. (picture below) That's a small quilt I designed for educational purposes. It teaches colors, shapes, and vocab development. When I made the decision to make a lot--I needed lots and lots of strips available. (I made 14, and sold 10.) I can't remember where I saw the ladder idea, but it was a perfect solution. My son was in 5th grade when he started a bike business, then he added antiques about 4 years later. We visited many antique stores during that time--I bet I saw the idea on one of our summer antique shop hops. :D The wavy log cabin I made is scrappy, and boy oh boy did I need a lot of strips for that baby. (picture below) I am very very organized about anything that appears random and I need many colors to choose from when I make stuff like that. :roll:

And that is why I need ladders for stips!
:wink:

barnbum

I wanted to say--after many many dirty damp paper towels that weren't getting any less dirty, I finally hauled the ladder to the bathtub for a scrubbing. I used Murphy's Oil soap and a stiff nailbrush and got that sucker really clean now. I think it was the finish coming off because it looks much lighter now. Boy was the bathtub dirty!! After it was half way dry I put it back in place in the sewing room and hopefully it'll be dry enough today to use. Our wood heat ought to dry it thoroughly.

annmarie

Thanks Karla - I've never made a log cabin - but I think I should as yours are beautiful!!! I can see now where your ladders are a good idea.

Knot Sew

I know there are some old ladders under the snow, and I do have an aluminujm one I could store in my sewing room .......2 pieces abot 7 ft each........ I never thought of it

Tiffany

What a fantastic idea Karla! I have a very large (3'x4' tall) pasta rack that a girlfriend gave me and I use it to drap all my strips on. It also has various fabrics for projects and a bunch of semi-finished and finshed tops ready to be sandwiched together and quilted. Come to think of it, it may be time for me to have a sandwiching party and just force myself to spend a weekend getting it done.

I love your log cabin quilts, especially the scrappy one! What size are your strips normally? I've been collecting scraps of fabric from everyone I know and I think a small 1-inch log cabin would be fun. I love the smaller scale. Your quilt has definitely inspired me to clear off a rung and start cutting some strips!
~Tiffany

june6995

HI Karla,
I have to chime in here. I love ladders, too. One really neat one we used to make a plant hanging rack on our deck. It was weather-beaten and rough so hubby made a frame and it went up on top. I could hang all of my hanging baskets of plants out there in the summer. WE left it out all the time and eventually the weather, and weight of heavy flower baskets took it's toll and it broke. But it sure was a nice addiction to the deck.

I have the promise of a ladder for my sewing room. I want to have it made wider than a regular ladder, since I have one small wall that would be perfect for a ladder. I plan to hang the quilt tops as I get them finished before quilting. I have a nice closet (in my new sewing room) and I have a lot of things hung in there. I also want to hang the sheets I use for backing. I have them all measured and tagged so when I am ready to assemble a quilt, I go to the closet. But hangers are narrow and I want something wide in which to spread them out.

I have seen some places on line where you can get patterns for making ladders, but since I have an experienced carpenter, he can build just about whatever I need. (today he took my car to get it washed, so I baked a Quiche for when he gets home and a cherry pie for later. Does that sound like a good pay-off? I am sure the ladder require a bigger effort in the kitchen. Maybe homemade bread?)

June

2 Doods

Way to go! You scored! Great idea for storing the strips. Hmmmm......I think i'll to go check in the barn.....thanks for the great tip! :D

barnbum

Tiffany--the curvy log cabin was 1 inch light strips and 1.5 dark ones. I love that quilt. I swear I sleep better when it's on me. :D It was supposed to be circles--I'll attach a picture of it laid out that way--but I played around and liked the barn raising pattern best. One circle was enough. :wink:

The basic log cabin book I have says to cut 2.5 inch strips- :shock: -but I have never made one with them that big. Too floppy looking. My first ones were 2 inch strips--but I'll never cut them more than 1.5" now. The smaller the better I say. :wink:

moreland

If you should decide to use the aluminum, be aware that aluminum may rub off black onto your fabric. Just thought I'd mention it.

DonnaRae

Karla, thanks for the great ladder tip and the tip on the strip size. I have a bunch of 2 1/2 strips from a swap I was in and they have just been sitting in a box (poor things). I made a small quilt with 2 1/2 strips and was not real impressed. I am going to try smaller strips. Your quilts are wowing. I would sleep much better under the log cabin too, so when you arn't sleeping well and switch out quilts send it my way! :lol: