Quarter Log Cabin Quilts Coming and Going

As usual, I've been hand quilting in the evenings. It's amazing how quickly the meditative stitching always calms me right down. What's that word again? Oh yes, Woosah.....

Quarter Log Cabin #1 in the hoop

Finished up the quilt top for Quarter Log Cabin #2. The current quilt in the hoop was definitely good inspiration and motivation for round two. This was one of those projects where I kept on plugging and powered through until it was all done, very weird for me. The new name is 'Patina'. Not sure why, but that's the word that popped into my head while I was taking pictures.

Quarter Log Cabin #2 {Patina} is a completed quilt top!

Originally, I thought to combine the red with pinks instead of the greens, but it just wasn't working out. There's something about this entire color combination that feels timeless, though I couldn't begin to explain the reasons for that either. My main thought was that I didn't want it to look Christmassy and whatever else it might look, Christmas isn't the first thought that pops in my head while looking. {Mission accomplished.}

Strips were cut improv., free-wheeling style

After making the predetermined amount of blocks {sewn to a min. of 14" and then later another strip added on to ensure a 15" cut}, I suddenly latched onto the idea that the quilt could not be square after all. That left me scrambling to cut more strips in order to make six more log cabin blocks. Does not seem like a lot, but 15"? There's some time involved there, count on it! Making more blocks wasn't a problem though as I loved being able to completely use up some of these fabrics. They are a rather oldy, moldy bunch of fabrics after all, give or take a few prints. Getting them out of the way in such a positive manner is so heart warming. Gives me all the frugal thrills!

Really, really like the pieced side setting triangles...

The off-pink gingham fabric is a cut up button down shirt acquired from a rummage sale years ago. I absolutely adore the homey look it adds to this particular quilt and also, can't help but admire the little bit of 'clash' it adds to the blocks {when you look at the blocks very close-up}. That clash is something that almost always makes me smile as I consider it the secret sauce to a good scrap quilt. Gotta have some squabbling going on for good energy!

So nice to use up some of these older fabrics

As the quilt top neared final quilt top status, I became determined that it needed a floating border of the lighter pinks. Though it's hard to tell, all the very light strips are some very pale shades of pink, there are no whites at all. It seemed like a good idea to extend those tones out into a border and wake them up a bit from where they were so overpowered by other colors. No problem. I'm generally quite willing to spend time on a quilt to makes things better! So I set about cobbling together a pink patchwork set of strips from all the bits and pieces and then....

Glad I didn't sew this border on!

Was completely underwhelmed. What was I thinking? Total waste of time and effort. This quilt does NOT need a border of any kind whatsoever as it dulls it everything down and takes away from the wonderfully graphic look. So now I'm casting about for ideas that would incorporate these currently useless, scrappy strips into another quilt altogether.

The next project? Yes, no, maybe so...

I've scribbled up and/or envisioned several potential designs and even found some fabrics that might play nice. Definitely ready for a change of pace from using the older, tired green prints! If nothing ends up happening here, well, at least I tried. I can just pack the strips away in the orphan block totes and forget about them for now. Wont' be the first time that's ever happened!