MONTH 4 -- Ask Questions Here

[Barbara B.]

Please use this TOPIC to ask questions about Month 4.

[Susan C.]

I figured it out!

[Sheridan D.]

All cut out and I was thinking of mixing it up and machine stitching these blocks, I have hand stitched all previous blocks. Someone at quilt guild commented that having some blocks hand stitched and some machine stitched they would look significantly different and would be quite noticeable in completed quilt. Not having hand stitched before I’m hoping for some opinions on this.

[Barbara B.]

There is no difference in hand vs machine pieced blocks in a finished quilt. Do either method well and you will have a fine result. It makes no sense to me to spend so much time hand piecing log cabin blocks when that time can be spent on all the handwork yet to come. Unless you want a completely handmade quilt, and some might want that. It’s your quilt, you get to decide.

[Sheridan D.]

Thanks Barbara for your feedback, I have machine stitched them.

[Annette M.]

I have made 16 log cabin blocks. For the 4 corners, I wanted to use a meadow fabric I love. It is, however, directional. Here are my two ideas for the corners. I am leaning towards placing them all on point with the print direction towards the center. (See left side on photo of layout). What do you think?

[Lynn H.]

I have two questions….
1. Are our 8-1/2 inch log cabin blocks going to get smaller if we appliqué and embroider them?
2. Is the N template the one to use to make the corners for the fan segments?
thank you for your help and support in this BOM!

Lynn Hyman

[Christine B.]

Beautiful use of colors, I am just getting to month 3 now!

[Peg]

Lynn- see my comment below. I am making one 7.5" strip 2" wide and the 8.5 strip I'm cutting 9" x 2". these are the outside edges on 2 sides. this will give me wiggle room for trimming down to 8.5 square. I've done a lot of appliqué and there can be some shrinkage so I usually wait to do final trim until done. Not sure I'll necessarily do that here as we are joining the squares together and I usually have a solid fabric background- thanks for reminding me about this issue!

[Azenath W.]

beautiful! Did you hand piece ?

[Christine B.]

Hi Barbara, First thank you for all the information you provide us for the BOB, I have learned so much. My question is will there be a Paper peace guide for the log cabin blocks? If not, would you be able to explain how we could draw one out?
Thank you,
Christine

[Barbara B.]

Start with a piece of paper 8.5” square. Fold in half in both directions to find the center. Draw a 2” square in the middle. Draw all the lines that connect to the center square as shown in the pattern instructions. The logs are 1” finished so draw each line that makes that happen all around the block, 2”, 3”, 4”, 5”, 6”, 7”, 8”.

[Helen W.]

Hi Barbara, First thank you for all the information you provide us for the BOB, I have learned so much. My question is will there be a Paper peace guide for the log cabin blocks? If not, would you be able to explain how we could draw one out?
Thank you,
Christine

Christina, Here are some photos from my EQ8 software that might help you. Remember that you will have mirror image
to what you draw so if the drawing has the #2 piece on the right, it will be on the left when you foundation piece it.
I draft the template for cutting with a half inch seam allowance. That way I have 1/4 wiggle room on all sides.
HelenW

CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE ENLARGEMENT AND WHOLE PHOTO

[Christine B.]

Thank you so much! this will make this block so much easier!

[Peg]

Barb, you video was so helpful as I plan how to proceed for log cabins. I've decided to enlarge (by 1/2 inch W and L) the last 2 strips to give me wiggle room for trimming - one of the 1.5 x 7.5 enlarge to 2 x 8, and the 1.5 x 8.5 enlarged to 2 x 9. I've found it helpful in previous blocks to have this peace of mind as I sew- trimming down is easier than fixing! I'm also seriously considering doing a vine around this border in Jen's style (Pinterest "Sweet tea and green bean" photo-may have name wrong). I love appliqué, and tho I have done a lot of Sue Spargo embroidery but it is not my favorite pastime. Maybe some little bits here and there for embellishment. I'll use the appliqué templates as they fit in. I'm 3/4 done with fan border and all other squares are done!

[Barbara B.]

That's a good idea, to enlarge the last Logs to allow trimming when all the applique/embroidery is done. Too late for me, but others may want to consider doing this.
Now I must decide how I want to proceed with the applique/embroidery.

[Azenath W.]

Peg, how about the 1.5 x 6.5 strip (#9) ?
leave as is or enlarge?

[Peg]

Azenath, I increased by 1/2" the width on only 2 sides (one of the 7.5 and the 8.5) and length of one (the 8.5" one). I didn't feel it necessary to do it on all 4 sides. When it came to trimming I was taking off maybe 1/4-3/8", making sure to watch that all outside strips came as close to 1.25" as possible. All done!

[Helen W.]

Barbara, I can't remember where I saw you mentioning if any one knew a video of Jen using her mylar templates.
This is a lady on Quiltmania you tube that has a 10 min. video on using the mylar templates. She uses 3 techniques.
For Circles she's traces, and then does the running stitch, like Karen K Buckley technique. For things like leaves she
traces and then cuts with seam allowance, puts the leaf back in and uses flatter with a paint brush and turns the edge
with an iron.
And for the complicated ones she traces, cuts the seam allowance and does needle turn. HelenW

[Barbara B.]

Thanks, I found it. I am really leaning toward fused raw edge applique now.

[Annette M.]

Will I need a stabilizer for the embroidery? If so, what kind is recommended?

[Barbara B.]

Jen doesn’t mention a stabilizer at all. I wouldn’t think it would be necessary for hand embroidery. Machine embroidery might be different. I am not familiar with that. Perhaps someone with experience with embroidery can comment.

[Annette M.]

I appreciate your reply. Thanks.

[Peg]

Suggested Cutting Layout for 9" strips (as in kit fabric)- here is how I planned my cutting for the log cabin using the kit fabric (TQS crew did an amazing job cutting a good 9"!)- see attached photo (hope it rotates on viewing!). I cut strips and then subcut so waste was minimal. NOTE- I increased the size of 2 OUTSIDE STRIPS then trimmed the block to 8.5" . Steps: Cut 3" strip and subcut for 2.5 sq and (2) 6.5) , cut 2" x9'" (oversized for the 1.5 x 8.5 strip) , 2" x 7.5" (oversized width for one of the 7.5 strips) , 1.5" X 7.5", TWO STRIPS 1.5" and subcut each to 5.5" and 3.5", 1.5" - subcut (2) 4.5", then cut 1.5" x 2.5" from remaining fabric.
I selected 20 fabrics, cut 3 at a time in above manner, stacking the cuts in order. Then I laid out the strips in order for the log cabin and used the method of rotating the top fabric to the bottom of the stack for 1st strip, 2 fabrics to the bottom for strip 2, etc so all squares have different fabrics. I chain pieced 10 sqs at a time keeping everything in order when pressing and separating for the next round. Worked great, all done!

[Barbara B.]

Great description and photo, thanks for sharing this info!

[Robin H.]

Iam thinking about using my Embroidery machine to place a design rather than placing an applique design on. How much larger would you make your blocks? I was thinking of using a No-Show Mesh as the stabilizer. Any thoughts on this approach?

[lehab375]

Hi Robin H - I would try just plain muslin to test any embroidery first. If you mark whatever size you think should work in pencil, do the embroidery, then check the size again, that should give you the information you need. I would be the person who didn't think to check first, then end up with blocks that ended up way smaller than they should be if it takes up fabric during the embroidery. If you are concerned about seams, I'd just do an all muslin log cabin block as a test. I don't use my embroidery machine enough to know what it does. I tend to have a way, way larger piece of fabric, then cut it down once it's out of the hoop.

Linda

[Helen W.]

Will I need a stabilizer for the embroidery? If so, what kind is recommended?

Annette, I used Pellon 906 light wt. stabilizer on the back of all my low volume
fabrics before I cut pieces. I was thinking I did not want shadow thru. It does not
add bulk to the pieces. But I found another way that appears to work well too.
Catherine Redford has a Creative Spark online class that i am doing. She does
massive amounts of Pearl #8 embroidery on cotton, then when finished she
blocks it on a wool mat, face down, sprays water until totally wet, the uses an iron
to dry it. She carefully pushes any thread tails under back into the stitching area
so if it was a light color background they would not shadow thru. She does not
add any other stabilizer. I was doing a sample of practicing my stitches and I
had iron on stabilizer on the back and it was hard, to pull the needle thru. So
I took it off and it was much easier. I wanted to see how hard it was to stitch thru raw edge fusible applique. HelenW

CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

[Annette M.]

Thank you for the suggestions!

Hi Barbara and fellow quilters,
Can anyone tell me if there is a difference between a fusible bias tape maker and just a bias tape maker? I have been trying to puchase a 3/8 inch (9mm) one for this project but only the fusible ones come in this size and they look different to the other size bias tape makers.
I have never used one before so I am a bit confused. Hope someone can help.
Lyn Saint

[Barbara B.]

I simply cut bias strips 3 times the size I want and fold in thirds. No sewing, no gadget, just my iron and fingers. For 3/8” finished bias I cut strips 1 1/8” wide.

[Helen W.]

Hi Barbara and fellow quilters,
Can anyone tell me if there is a difference between a fusible bias tape maker and just a bias tape maker? I have been trying to puchase a 3/8 inch (9mm) one for this project but only the fusible ones come in this size and they look different to the other size bias tape makers.
I have never used one before so I am a bit confused. Hope someone can help.
Lyn Saint

Lyn, This set has the 3/8 inch bias tape maker. 1500 reviews of 4.5, so even though it is cheap, it probably works.
HelenW

CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE

[Sandy K.]

Are the log cabin blocks sewn in a random orientation or in the same orientation when the side rows are sewn together?

Thank you Helen. I'll probably buy this as it seems to be the only option

[Peg]

I use bias maker a lot- read directions, not too hard to master and very handy