I am practicing for retirement, making a quilt without buying any fabric - the old fashioned way, with scraps!
Pictured above are nine 8" log cabin blocks laid out, not sewn together yet, just posing. I am adding a random house block every so often to change it up. I may add sashing (strips of fabric between the blocks to separate them), but that is yet to be determined. It is fun to see bits of other projects in there, like the license plates and route 66 fabric from my camper quilt, and some Tennessee orange from a graduation quilt, even some Christmas fabric from a tree skirt.
How to make a log cabin block? Decide what width you want your strips (logs) and what size you want your center square. I used a 2" center square and 1" logs. Cut strips of fabric the width of your logs (+ seam allowance), leave in long strips.
Starting with a center square of red, the traditional color for the center of a log cabin block (red = hearth), just start adding strips (logs) round and round until you get the size block you want.
I wish I could be random, just pick up a strip of fabric without looking and sew it on next, but it just ain't happening. So to be a little OCD I lay out the block with the colors I want first, then sew it. But I do not cut the length of the strips before sewing, which saves a lot of time. A very easy quilt pattern and great for using up scraps.
When life gives you scraps, make a quilt!
