Modern Monday - Block 2

Log Cabin

Block 2 - Log Cabin

This is probably the most versatile and hardest working block in all of quilting. It often is the first block a quilter learns and one she keeps coming back to because of its many design possibilities.

You'll need three fabrics to recreate the block as shown. I chose an orange solid, white and light gray.

Cutting:
From the white, cut 1 unit each:
1 1/2" square
1 1/2" x 5 1/2" strip
1 1/2" x 6 1/2" strip

From the orange, cut 1 unit each:
1" x 1 1/2" strip
1" x 2" strip
2" square
2" x 3 1/2" strip

From the light gray, cut 1 unit each:
1" x 3 1/2"
1" x 4"
2" x 4"
2 x 5 1/2"

Lay out all the pieces as shown. Log cabin blocks are pieced from the center out, so that's where we'll start.

Piece the smallest 1" wide orange strip to the top of the white square. Then add the other 1" wide strip to the right side of that unit. Press to the orange after sewing each seam. Continue adding orange units around the white square until you get all 4 sewn on.

This unit should measure 3 1/2" square. Trim up now if it's not that size.

To add the next round, add the short 1" wide gray strip to the right side of the orange unit. Press to the gray. Sew the other 1" wide gray strip to the bottom. Press.

Then add the 2" strips to the left side and top. Press.

Add the white strips to the bottom and left side to finish the 6 1/2" block.