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Friday, April 17, 2009

First Annual Bloggers Quilt Festival

This is the quilt I was hoping to enter in the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show this year. It doesn't look like I'll get to go at all, but they do it every year and I'll be there next year and the year after that. And this is as good a chance as any to show off what I made my grandma for Christmas.

HPIM1773

I had a very strong bias against log cabin quilts, started by a quilt shop owner who answered my question about another pattern by telling me that I couldn't make a quilt until I took a class and everyone had to make a log cabin quilt as their first one. I really don't like being told what I can and can't make.

Quite a few years later, I'd made a few quilts and still never taken a class or intended to ever make a log cabin. My eleven year old daughter had made one. My mother had made one. And although they now don't remember it, they both told me that they'd decided you couldn't be a real quilter until you did a log cabin.

My best friend was in the middle of her own log cabin quilt using the Quilt in a Day book and I was talking her through it over the phone. The more I looked at the pattern and saw how quickly hers was coming together, the more it started to seem like a log cabin would be an perfect way to make the dinosaur quilt that I'd bought fabric for when Heath was a baby. So I did.

And then I saw a picture of a scrappy log cabin. Thin little strips of fabric. Lots and lots of them, in hundreds of different colors and prints. THAT was the log cabin I wanted to make. So I started cutting and sewing and the more strips I cut and sewed together, the more I fell in love with my quilt.

In mid-November I showed my grandma, who doesn't quilt but is the source of most of my scraps, a picture of my half-finished quilt. She really liked it, and I decided that I had to give her a quilt for Christmas, and it had to be a log cabin, but I didn't want to give up my own.

So I started a second one and somehow got it quilted and bound in time for Christmas eve. I'd thought about finishing mine for her and then starting a second one after the holidays were over and I wouldn't have to rush, but I just couldn't bring myself to give it up. So I pieced another thirty-five blocks.

The weather turned nasty and I wound up venturing out onto icier roads than I've ever even dreamed of driving on to get batting and backing. I ripped out more machine quilting than I left in. The weather got worse, and it didn't look like we'd see Grandma or anyone else on Christmas day. And I got it done. And the weather cleared up in time for Christmas dinner.

By the time I got both tops done, I was so burned out on thin little strips that I still haven't quilted my own log cabin top, but I'm so glad I made the twin quilts.
I'm even gearing up to cut more 1 1/2" strips of lights and darks so I can make a scrappy pineapple and a courthouse steps.

This one is mine --

HPIM1771

Park City Girl is hosting a Spring 2009 Quilt Festival -- go check out the other quilts!




18 comments:

  1. Beautiful, and what work goes into that. I want to learn to quilt this year, I am going to contact a quilt shop..I hope they don't say to start with this pattern, it looks very complicated! Nice Quilt and story.

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  2. Wow. Absolutely gorgeous. My mom took up quilting when her joints bothered her when she knit--I can just picture the two of you showing off your projects to each other.

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  3. That is a wonderful quilt!

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  4. I love log cabin quilts. Yours is BEAUTIFUL!

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  5. such a lovely quilt, and i love log cabins!!

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  6. Great quilt. I made the Quilt in a Day log cabin for my first speed strip quilt. It was a lot of work, but it revolutionized my quilting. Never made another Log cabin, but have made lots of other patterns. My owns the LC I made for him.

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  7. I love both of your log cabin quilts. I'll share a little secret. I haven't made a log cabin quilt either. I love the block. I have one all ready to piece, but other projects keep bumping it down my list. Thanks so much for sharing your quilts.

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  8. This log cabin looks terrific, Lots of work but aren't you glad you did it? Enjoy the festival.

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  9. Wonderful log-cabin quilt!

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  10. Love your log cabin. the colors are great.

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  11. love the log cabin - totally agree with you about not liking to be told what to do! I have never taken a class - made I don't even know how many quilts anymore - all kinds and still do not like to be told I have to learn something before I can do something - pretty much tell them to stuff it.!
    Karen
    http://karensquilting.com/blog/

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  12. You have made a very lovely set of log cabin quilts. The pattern is so versatile and there is lots of challenge in making them especially with 1 1/2 strips.
    For a long time I wasn't sure that I liked the pattern too,but there are some really wonderful variations out there to make.
    I went to a class where we exchange light and dark strips so that we had lots of variety in our strips. I cut 250 strips for that class to trade.
    If you would like to see my version come and visit my blogspot at http://quiltmomsjourney.blogpspot.com
    Your log cabin is gorgeous- Thanks for sharing its wonderful story.
    Regards,
    Anna

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  13. So glad you made one for yourself too! I would have the same mindset, if someone told me that I had to make it first - I was gaffing as I read that - unbelievable!

    They are both beautiful quilts - thank you for sharing them :)

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  14. I love your quilts...and I especially love the story behind them!

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  15. Love your scrappy Log Cabins, I have made quite a few LC's but never scrapped one in lights & darks.....yet!Hmmmm my scrap strip buns are overflowing.........

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  16. Fabulous log cabin. I want to do one like it too. I love hearing that you can't really be considered a quilter unless you've made one. I have been a prolific quilter for 27 years and just 3 years ago I made my first log cabin. And I love it. I will do more. Hope I get to see the pineapple. Thanks for sharing.

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  17. I love log cabin quilts. Yours is beautiful. I just started my first one and I love it. Great Job!!

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  18. I admire your stick-to-it-tiveness! that is one (two) big project! Love the scrappiness of it, too!

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