Friday, September 30, 2016

I've Been A Log Cabin Loonie For A While

 When Running Man and I 
were first married 43 years ago,


we lived out in the Piceance Basin in 
northwestern Colorado.
This was our home,
 a little green log cabin.


We were here for 3 months,
while he did his research for his master's degree.

made me think of that cabin so long ago
and the different log cabin quilts 
that I've made over the years.
So if you'll indulge me,
let me share those with you.

Despite the fact that Eleanor Burns 
first published her 
Quilt in a Day Log Cabin book
in 1978
I didn't make my first log cabin quilt until 1987.

It was a circular log cabin and
was constructed with
paper pieced pattern designed
by June Ryker of Colorado.

 It was a challenge
 but rewarding to make.
I love remembering the popular
color scheme of the time,
country blue and mauve.
I sold the quilt to a local dentist
who had it hanging in his office.

The following year, 1988,
with the same popular color scheme,
I made this log cabin with the 
traditional barn raising layout.
I sold this one as well.

In 1990
I was enjoying the folk art designs of the
Red Wagon gals,
Gerry Kimmel Carr, Linda Brannock,
and Jan Patek.

The courthouse steps border
was perfect using
Roberta Horton's plaids.

2001 found me crazy
for the Buggy Barn girls
and their Crazy Log Cabin.

Their stack, slice and shuffle method
was a fun way to get the scrappy look without
too much effort.

In October, 2004
I was heading to Bennington, Kansas
for a Quilt Getaway with the talented
Lynn Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles.
 I bought her current line of fabric
 and spent the weekend 

 happily cutting and sewing.

In 2014
I purchases this wonderful
red and white antique log cabin.

It was the perfect combination
of a red and white quilt and 


a sunshine and shadows log cabin layout. 

Then, of course, this year
there was Strawberries and Chocolate

The Log Cabin pattern is an old and beloved
design and 
I'm sure there is still one or two more
that I'll have to make.
How many have you made?

Until Next Time-
Kyle

28 comments:

  1. Sadly only one so far, made for my son when he left for college. It's now over twenty years old, and he still has it. I do have one antique barn-raising quilt, most of the fabrics date around 1890-1910. Time to make another log cabin quilt! I love that circular design you did - have never seen that particular log cabin configuration before.

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  2. What a wonderful journey through your log cabin years! It is fun to see how quilter's tastes change over the years. I have made a few over the years, but none of them can stack up to yours! I think I haven't made many because I like the logs nice and tiny and I lose interest in making all those little logs. Thanks for sharing your treasures!

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  3. Thank you for taking us along down your log cabin memory lane - and I am sure many of us who share your love of this design have at least one or more real log cabins that we lived in. Your circular version must have been particularly rewarding with its challenges!

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  4. Those are beautiful log cabins. I love the round one. That must have been really time consuming to paper piece. It has a really modern feel to it with all the curves and medallion style quilts that are so in vogue at the moment. I so enjoyed seeing all your log cabins. Thank you for sharing.

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  5. I haven't made any. Judy Martin's Colorado Log Cabin has been on my to-do list since the book came out in 1985! I keep trying to think of an easier way...

    I love this retrospective! You sure jumped in the deep end with that round one. I think I would have liked to see that on the wall at the dentist. I bet it soothed a lot of nervous patients! Fun post, Kyle, thanks!

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  6. This is so wonderful! I love that little log cabin home of yours. It looks adorable. What a fun place to make your first married memories. Your little log cabin quilt show from over the years is so interesting. I love looking back at the patterns and fabrics and trends. You've made some wonderful log cabin quilts and I hope there are more in your future. It's one of my favorite blocks because the possibilities are endless. I actually talk about my love of log cabins and all their variations in my classes. Thanks for sharing these special memories with us.

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  7. Your first log cabin quilt was circular!! Are you kidding me? Lol! Wow, what an interesting quilt! Loved this post - that little green log cabin looks cozy. I think I've made 3 log cabin quilts. 2 of them are on my kids' beds and I tuck them in under them everynight :0) I'm sure there are more in my future too - I love them!!

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  8. Wow--when you jumped into the log cabin scene, you came in the hard way! That circular log cabin is incredible!
    It was fun to see your log cabin journey--even the fact that you lived in one for a time.
    I have only made a square of log cabins around a medallion, and two mini log cabin quilts. I need to get with it!

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  9. Very but very fun and beautiful post because I looove Logs cabin and yours are awesome !
    I learnt something thanks to you : circular log cabin can exist !
    Thank you for sharing these wonderful quilts Kyle.
    I have made just one ! I was living abroad on a NATO base and bought an American quilting magazine. .. 80 blocks after I was so proud to have finished it ! Pfiouuuu ! :)

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  10. I really enjoyed your trip down Log Cabin memory lane. So much fun to see your little log cabin in the mountains and the wonderful quilts you've made through the years. I made one Log Cabin quilt for my dad in 1976 and then incorporated LC blocks in My Civil War Heroes quilt a few years ago. Thanks, Kyle. Great post!

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  11. You may be a loony but you're our lovely loonie :) . Omgolly Kyle, what an amazing show and tell of log cabins. I love seeing all the different styles and variations you've made over the years. I've never seen one like the circular one before, amazing!! I like seeing the pretty 80's fabrics too. It's fun to see your first home too.

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  12. Wow, I cannot believe you made a round quilt, what a stunner! I love log cabin quilts but only made one big one and a little one. There is a second big log cabin quilt in me, just waiting for the inspiration to strike at the same time I have the time to sew! In the meantime I have to make a few little LC blocks for a sew a long.

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  13. How romantic to start out in that little log cabin! New starters expect so much more these days, which is their loss really. Love your log cabin journey - such a variety! I made a large pineapple log cabin for my student son and I'm happy to report he still proudly displays it on his bed :)

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  14. What a great collection. Not sure what it says about me but I think that the 'crazy' one might be my favourite :). I've made one king sized log cabin as a wedding gift for my brother and his wife - it was nice - lots of jewel tones - but HUGE! Other than that I think it's just been Christmas placemats with an elongated log cabin block. I liked those too.

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  15. You are so Loonie, in the very best way!! Love that plaid Angel quilt...and every single one!! Love, love, Love!!!

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  16. I love seeing those old photos! :)

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  17. What a body of work from over the years ; all of them are equally lovely!

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  18. What a body of work from over the years ; all of them are equally lovely!

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  19. Those are fabulous. I know it's commonly a pattern for folks to learn with, but I've never made a log cabin quilt. Hadn't really dawned on me until you asked at the bottom of the post. One more on the to-do list now:)

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  20. You've made a fabulous array of Log Cabin quilts over the years!
    And I love that old picture of the adorable green cabin you lived in as a newlywed!
    I've only made log cabin blocks as part of Sampler quilts, never a complete Log Cabin quilt.
    Thanks for sharing all these amazing quilt photo's with us - such a treat.

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  21. Your round Log Cabin is incredible! The fact that it was your first Log Cabin makes it even more incredible! All you collection is beautiful. This is my first time to see your blog, but I'll be checking it out often now for more inspiration. ---"Love"

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  22. Wow, you're a very impressive loony! I've never seen a round log cabin before. I love seeing the change in fabric styles, and still have some Buggy Barn scraps in my stash! I have never made a log cabin, I think the thought of how to hand quilt it puts me off. I think I have one square in an early sampler quilt......

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  23. The Red Wagon design log cabin quilt is my favorite. My kind of style. The round log cabin must have been a difficult design to do.

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  24. So fun to see your style evolve through the years. I've never seen a circular one before - I'm very impressed! I've made a small handful of log cabin quilts, but can't come up with a concrete number off the top of my head.....

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  25. I love them all but really made myself only one bright wallhanging and one large bedsize with 30' fabrics, and many blocks as part of other patterns . Love log cabin.

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  26. Oh my gosh--starting out with that first circular log cabin would have done me in! I've used some log cabin blocks in various quilts, but have never made an entire quilt from log cabin blocks. I think I need to step up--lol!

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  27. Including one that is not yet quilted, I have made three log cabins. The first was in primary colors, a baby quilt for the son of my very dear friend, son born in 1989. The next was for my in-laws' 55th wedding anniversary in 1996. It was my first experience at "quilt by committee" (my siblings-in-law and their kids being the committee). I haven't tried quilting by committee again, by the way. We all quilted it at a family reunion in the mountains on a frame made with 2x4s and saw horses and c-clamps. Quilters ranged from age 7 to 77. Last year I completed a king-sized courthouse steps top with 1" finished logs, which had been a leaders-and-enders project for the prior 5 years or so. I've also made many log-cabin pot holders.
    I enjoyed seeing your log cabins, Kyle, including the one you lived in! Thank you for sharing those photos with us.

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