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Week 6- September 19, 2016- Block of the Week- Log Cabin- Part 1

Today we are going to look at the log cabin block. This is the quintessential beginner quilt block because it is so easy. All you have to do is sew strips together and cut various sized units. Those units keep getting sewn to another strip and then cut again. Here is what the block traditionally looks like.

Log Cabin Block
Log Cabin Block

You will note that there is a red center with light fabrics on the left side and dark fabrics on the right side. The red center is thought to be the fireplace of the cabin, and the light side is the sun shining on the cabin, or goodness, and the dark side is thought to be shadows on the house, or sadness. Sometimes this quilt is called Sunshine and Shadows depending on how the blocks are arranged. The next photo shows how this quilt is traditionally laid out.

Traditional Log Cabin Quilt
Traditional Log Cabin Quilt

Here is an excellent video animation by Judit Hajdu showing how to strip piece this quilt. https://youtu.be/ZayIGmzkMmo

Next week will feature part 2 on the log cabin block and showcase how many different quilts one can create depending on how the blocks are arranged.

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