What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

I started this project file day while staying in a motel by finding or drafting variations of the Log Cabin block, then finding some fabrics in the EQ Library.

It then got forgotten for nearly two years, until I found it yesterday when I started playing with the blocks.

I find that once I get a collection of blocks together, with fabrics added, the quilt designs flow pretty easily.

It would be interesting to see an exhibition of a large collection of Log Cabin quilts, all different designs, maybe with groups of five to ten using the same fabrics.

It ...

Interesting … and likable.

Not many alternative colour placements in the second design, but they make an impact on the overall design.

A lot more all dark blocks in the one above.

I like the design above … much lighter than the previous one.

Much darker again, but I like the last design for today’s Log Cabin retreat.

My favorites are the two on the left of the gallery … what is/are yours?

More Log Cabin designs mid week, next week.

Oops! We had an unexpected trip away at the end of last year … and during that time we, and friends we were spending time with, got a little confused about what day of the week it was … and we spent two days on the return trip instead of one … and so today is Thursday, which is past the middle of the week, but I had planned my usual mid week retreat and so what if it is a day late!

Does this mean that the new year has already gained a day … if so it will be February way too ...

Nice one.

This is the final installment from the City Courthouse project file, but I suspect that these blocks may appear in a new colourway sometime in the future.

Wow!

When you can get results like the one above by making the same block with the colours moved around a bit, why are so many quilts made with identical blocks?

A few relatively small changes and you get the results above, which is why I love Electric Quilt. Even when I get a design I love, I can save it and make changes to see if there is something better ...

It is the middle of the week, and the middle of a real, live retreat for me, anf time to share some Log Cabin designs here so you have an excuse to take a coffee break to look at some Log Cabin quilt designs.

Different, but I like it that way.

Very neat, almost regimental!

Another neat and tidy design above.

I like the last, but I think I will have a play with the centre of the design, not sure I can improve it, but I will have fun trying.

That is all for this week’s mid week ...

Middle of the week again, and life is returning to normal in my part of the world, and I haven’t finished digging up and replanting the garden, or sorting out all my EQ block library, or cutting out sashing to put a wall hanging together. But there is now a quilt retreat to look forward to in just over a month!

I liked the first one, but had to try changing the middle blocks on each side … like it more now.

Love the third design.

Like the next one too.

The last one is almost lacy!

That is all ...

All these designs use three different colourings of the Log Cabin block … all dark, all light, and the traditional half light, half dark.

In both of the first two designs the outer row of blocks could be left off to make a smaller quilt. The size of the quilt would depend on the size of the blocks.

The one above sills out into the outer row of blocks, but would still work as a smaller quilt but without the points.

Those points which would be leftover from the third design could be included in the design above.

Perhaps the star ...

New series … 144 Log Cabin blocks, no modifications.

In the group collection above the last one, Barn Raising, is my favourite traditional

Log Cabin design.

However, I started this file to see if I could come up with some interesting layouts with a large number of Log Cabin blocks.

The green influence is probably related to the plants I am planting out, digging up, dividing, replanting or potting up at the moment.

I am never too sure how a project like this will work out, but I was pleased to have this design after just a few twists and turns ...

This project file has lots of designs using one block in three colour variations … two of them in the first design.

Even with the exact block variations in each design there are many possible variations in the way they are laid out in the quilt top. Both of the designs above use exactly the same block colourings.

The one above has quite a wide variety of block contrasts by comparison, as all three of the contrast combinations are used.

I wonder how many possibilities there are?

To make any symmetrical design you need multiples of four of each of the ...

Found some very interesting, or maybe weird, designs in this project file.

Does that make this Weird Wednesday? Or Wednesday Weirdness?

A moment of normal with the second design.

Perhaps this is a sign of the weird times we are having this year.

The coffee must be starting to work, as I can see some tiny changes which will turn these interesting designs into more ‘normal’ layouts, as hopefully our world is starting the long road back to normal.

Mind you, this is somebody writing about normal who has designed thousands of virtual quilts, and made about two hundred real ...

Today’s designs are either wholecloth Log Cabin or the back of pieced Log Cabin quilts.

More accurately the second and third are Log Cabin designs, the first and the last two are Courthouse Steps.

I have been sitting at a computer and playing with quilt designs for anything from a few minutes to a couple of hours most days over the last 10 years, and I am still amazed at the difference a few twists and turns of blocks make to a favourite traditional quilt.

So far in this project file all I have done is use the Symmetry ...

It is blue, which is my least favourite colour, but I like it anyway.

In fact, I like all of today’s designs, despite the blue!

In this project file I wanted to try using Log Cabin blocks instead of sashing to separate applique blocks.

Sometimes I didn’t want to separate the applique blocks from each other, like the one above, when I wanted to connect the applique.

I really like the one above!

Left the best till last!

That is all for this week’s short retreat from the real world, but there will be more Log Cabin ...

I am not sure how it is the middle of another week … it feels like there has just been a couple of days, but apart from the usual week days we have had a long weekend since the last mid week.

I am not going to pick a favourite this week … I like them all. A very interesting mixture of designs.

The one above is probably my least favourite design, but it is still an interesting design.

Love the fig leaves in this one … perhaps they should all have been fig leaves.

Just checking over the five designs, my favourite ...