The trick works in both Internet Explorer and Firefox (and possibly other web browsers). This is also comes in handy if you’re viewing a website with tiny print – just make it bigger. CTRL and + will increase the size so you can read the font.

Repeat several times to go smaller and smaller. If you’d like to see these quilt illustrations smaller so more than one fits on the screen, try pressing CTRL and – (minus) on your keyboard. Accurate seam allowances make for great finished blocks.Note: The many photos in this post are fairly large on the screen.

Use a 1/4-inch quilting foot or mark the accurate 1/4-inch measurement on your sewing machine with a piece of painter’s tape or Washi tape.

Length wise cuts tend to have less ease and produce more accurate sewing on the quilt blocks. Cross grain cut is the width of the fabric and tends to have more ease or stretch. First trim the selvage off your fabric piece, then cut your fabric strips. This means, even with the selvedge of your fabric.

Cut your strips from the lengthwise grain.

An easy way to pick a palette is to purchase a jelly roll, layer cake or fat quarter bundle with coordinating fabrics to make your perfect log cabin quilt block.

Or, pick a color palette and use only fabrics in that palette.

Pull out your fabric scraps! It’s a great way to use up scrap strips to make a scrap quilt – so much fun!.

Your strip widths can vary for different looks. Use light fabrics and dark fabrics for a more dramatic look.

Use a range of colors and values of fabrics.

By cutting the fabric strips first, you can make slight adjustments with ease as you sew, making sure the block stays square and accurate. This will make it challenging to put them together for your finished quilt. Your blocks may not be the same finished size. If you are off by even 1/32-inch on each strip it will add up.

To begin, cut each of the fabric strips.

Project Type: Quilting / Category: Quilt Tutorials Tips for a successful log cabin quilt block and then practice my unsewing! 🙂 Here is are four log cabin quilt blocks finished with yellow centers - letting the light in! Um, yes, I've been known to sew an entire set incorrectly. I double-check before I start sewing each new strip to make sure it's in the right place. Once you get on a roll, you'll know to sew, press, turn clockwise and add the next strip.

Continue sewing each strip around your block, adding the next strip according to the chart above.

This is quicker and makes it easier to keep track of which round of strips you are sewing next. TIP: When you are making multiple blocks for a quilt, sew them in the chain method, by sewing the next strip to all of your quilt blocks at once. Working in a clockwise rotation, then add strip 1b. See our article on pressing seams for quilting.

Start by sewing piece 1a to the center.

Also, by cutting your fabrics out first, you have the exact dimensions for each piece which keeps your quilt block squared up as you add more strips. The lengthwise grain is more stable than the crosswise grain which means it will be less likely to stretch, keeping your quilt block more accurate. TIP: Cut the strips on the lengthwise grain of the fabric.

Start by cutting all of your fabrics according to the chart above.Below is a chart that outlines the pieces you need to cut to complete a finished 8-inch log cabin quilt block. Add strips in a clockwise order, forming a symmetrical square.Īn 8-inch traditional log cabin quilt block starts with a 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ center square. Additional variations include sewing different size strips or sewing the strips in a non-symmetrical order, moving the starting shape off-center, making an off-kilter log cabin.Ī traditional log cabin quilt block starts with a center block square. All of the strips can be the same size, or use different sizes for a different look. Use straight cut strips for a traditional log cabin or cut at angles for a wonky log cabin. The strips of fabric sewn around the center square can be any size. Want to make an impact? Make a super-sized log cabin quilt block! To make one large log cabin square as a quilt, start with a center square and continue to add strips of fabric until you’ve reached the desired finished size of your quilt.Ĭhange up the log cabin quilt settings or the log cabin quilt design layouts to achieve different designs. Variations of the typical log cabin quilt block include changing up the center shape from a square to a rectangle, triangle, diamond or any shape that can have strips sewn around all of the sides. Designs can be timeless and traditional, or modern. Log cabin quilting refers to sewing strips of fabric around a center piece of fabric.

Wonky log cabin quilt