Sixteen Log Cabins

 

One of the first blocks I learned to make was the log cabin. After all these years, it’s still one of my favorites. Log cabins are bare-bones simple, yet, when you change the way you join them, they can create an endless variety of patterns. Most of the log cabins I’ve made have the dark “logs” lined up in one corner, with light ones facing them. Typically, the center square is yellow (symbolizing a burning candle), red (which stands for a hearth), or black (a secret or something hidden). These are the first log cabins I’ve made with red and black “logs” and a white center. It’ll be interesting to see how this effects the finished quilt. My plan – so far – is to alternate these with an equal number of non-log cabins for a sampler quilt. I’m using scraps from an out-of-print line called Blessed Beyond Measure from Buttermilk Basin; an appropriate choice for the season of giving thanks.