Thursday, December 1, 2005

Holiday patchwork

It's December 1st! Time to get out some decorations. This is a log cabin pattern patchwork mini-quilt or wallhanging about 36" square. If you look closely (for all you non-quilters) there are 9 squares making up this mini-quilt. You start with a small center square (traditionally in the log cabin pattern the center square is red to represent the fire on the hearth of the cabin). From the center square, you start adding strips (or logs) round and round until you reach the desired size.

The Log Cabin quilt became popular in the United States by the mid-nineteenth century. The quilt was a favorite for years because it was a wonderful pattern for using up scraps of fabric. The overall effect of the log cabin quilt is achieved by the use of light and dark fabrics and how they are arranged.

Did you know that due to President Lincoln's "Log Cabin Campaign" it became a favorite pattern after the Civil War to represent pioneer stalwartness and American individualism?

At our house it represents the beginning of the Christmas season!

spring