Elizabeth A.

It might be cheaper to get your fabric off the bolt. I feel lucky when I can get fat quarters for $1 so anything that is priced less $4 a yard is saving money off FQ sale price.

I think you should tackle each block one at a time. Start with an easier one like your Chimney's and Cornerstones, or your log cabin. Cut the fabric you need for just one block sew and then move on to the next one. That way if you decide one is going to be a problem and you need to change some things around a bit you will have flexiblity to do so.

mpeters1200

That's a great idea! I wouldn't have any idea into which order to put them, but I definitely want to do one at a time. It's easier to keep all the directions together. I have horrible visions of cutting for Pattern A and then following the sewing directions for Pattern B.

I hope I can find someone to go shopping with this weekend. I have a really hard time differenciating between the pinks, corals, and melons. They all look the same. I don't want to get a bunch of fabric that clashes instead of complimenting eachother.

barnbum

Log Cabin is easily done in strips!! I lay strips out and just keep adding each block....

mpeters1200

The pattern for the log cabin that I have is paper piecing. So I'm actively seeking out a different pattern. I'm already going out of my norms to do a sampler, I don't want to implement a ton of new piecing techniques into it.

Are there hard and fast rules about assembling a Log Cabin? I'm not talking about color or history as that's a different thread, just how to put it together. What size are these strips supposed to be? How do I lay out the strips to make sure the lights are on one side and the darks on the other. I think I should go google Log Cabin and see what I can find. I want the finished size to be 12".

quiltwoman

http://mccallsquilting.com/golden/mg38_pattern/

Check out this log cabin star using strips--very easy! I used $1/yard sale fabric since it was a wall hanging. Did not take long at all. I omitted the stars in the corners and just bound the big star. It's hanging in my family room as we speak. :wink:

shellyp

There should be a worker, if you go to Hancocks or Joanns or a lqs. They should be willing to help you pic some out that doesn't clash. I've even asked a fellow shopper or two if they thought the fabrics blend well. When I went to my lqs, I could not find anything that remotely matched the fabric I wanted. So I asked one of the workers. She pulled about 15 bolts that looked great. I still wonder where she got them from because I looked for 30 min and didn't see one! Don't be afraid to ask someone to help you.

barnbum

http://www.quilterscache.com/L/LogCabinBlock.html

There's the pattern for a 12" log cabin from Quilter's Cache. Instead of cutting indivdual pieces, cut strips. But---you only want one square, so I'm not sure it's worth it. But I sew the middle fabric strip to the first piece, then cut into segments and iron. Then I put the next strip under the machine and lay the sewn pieces onto the strip and do a continuous seam. Then I cut them apart and iron, and keep repeating. Just keep track of what side is up--usually the "handle" or last piece you added is on top, but not always.

Is that at all understandable? :D

Joan

Melissa, we have the same situation. My MIL also broke her leg (she's 89), has Alsheimer's and is currently in the hospital. I made her a quilt. Take a look, it was easy:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/13083.page

Another quilt pattern you might consider is Railroad Tracks. It goes together quickly. Good Luck.

Barb M

Melissa, this is how you can do a log cabin. To make it easy, you can use just two fabrics. Lets say one fabric is white, and the other is floral. Ok, this is how you can do a 12" block. Cut a 3 1/2 inch square of floral (it will finish at 3 inches) Then, cut a couple of long strips of white fabric, 2"'s wide (these will finish at 1 1/2" strips) Also cut a couple of long 2" strips of floral fabric. Now, lay down your 3 1/2" floral square, right wide up, and lay a white strip along one edge and sew 1/4" seam. Then cut the white strip even with the bottom of the square. Now finger press open. Now, rotate your square, so that the small white strip is at the top, and to the right of that, sew another white strip, trim and press. Then rotate so second white strip is at the top, and sew a floral strip, trim and press, then another floral strip, then two more white strips, then two more florals, then two more whites, and two more florals, and you're done :) By the way, i've just been doing my first log cabin ever. I thought it would be so hard, but it is so easy, you will love it

Celeste

As for the triangles, take a look at a tutorial posted by ShellyQ. I hope this will make that block easier!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/8342.page