First Block Made And A Short Tute

Yay!  I spent most of the day cutting and pressing.  Remember that tv tray I got to sit next to my machine, so I could conveniently stitch and press?  Well, my son found me something better....

The ironing board lifts up, it's on wheels [and has brakes], the baskets underneath hold my scraps that I'm using on this quilt.  I LOVE IT.  The ironing board on top is so firm and flat, it's just perfect.  And he found it at Aldi, of all places.

So.  Today I pressed and cut, cut and pressed, and after an hour long search to find my quarter-inch foot, I commenced to sewing.  I'm doing my blocks according to the old log cabin pattern - lights and darks, with a red hearth.  Here's how I did it.

Forgive the bad pics taken with my phone, in the dark.....

Logs 1 and 2 are the same size.  Mine are 2" square.  Stitch them together and press seam open [I always press mine open, you do what works best for you].

Block 3 uses the same fabric as block 2 - following the diagram*, stitch it to your first two blocks, trim and press.

And you just keep going around, trimming and pressing as you go.  I've numbered a pic of my block, so you can see in what order I stitched the logs.

I did a google image search for a log cabin template, and I believe I already posted a pic of it; I printed it out and put it on my design wall where I can reference it constantly.  It's really easy to get turned around with these blocks, but with that reference you won't go wrong.

My block finished at 10.5".  I think that's a good size.  As you can see from the pic, each block uses 3 darks and 3 lights, and you'll have two logs of each fabric, except for the center.  So - logs 2-3 are the same light, 4-5 are the same dark, 6-7 same light, 8-9 same dark, 10-11 same light, 12-13 same dark.  

I'm also working on the applique patterns.  The blocks for those will be strictly lights - pieced the same way, but with neutrals.  I wanted to see what size my blocks would be before finalizing the patterns.  Stay tuned for those!

I'm saving the trims off the logs - as long as they look big enough to make a leaf, they're going in the border.  My border is going to be tons of autumn leaves.  I really want to use up these scraps, lol!  I did say this wouldn't be a fast project, didn't I? *smile*  Happy scrappin'!!!

*Diagram that you found on google - or follow my finished block picture