Saturday at the Quilt Museum - Log Cabin Quilts

The first quilt I ever made was a Log Cabin.  It was in 1982 or '83 and for our first child. 

This is her with her cousin in the first of what we call the "Cousin Couch Pictures," and in the end there are 9 cousins!  The quilt is behind them.

And my most recent finish is also a Log Cabin - Colorado Log Cabin, actually - and I made it for our youngest.  It's a bit bigger than that first one I made!  By the way, that's our oldest helping me hold it.  That's about 32 years after the photo above!

And some others for someone who wanted to see. :-)

It's hard to get a true red in pictures.  Some look way too pink.

These are the fabrics I used:

Block Closeup:

On the Frame for Basting (12 hours!)

 At the Fair

I have always been drawn to a log cabin quilt.  There are so many ways to set them and the possibilities are endless.  

So, for the next three weeks, we'll take a look at some of those from the 1800's.

I think the most common setting is Barn Raising, so we'll start there!

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Log Cabin - Barn Raising

Mrs. Halter

Missouri

1870

Aren't the colors fabulous in this?  I just love what she did.

See more here:

http://www.quiltindex.org/basicdisplay.php?kid=1A-39-23E

* * * * * * *

Log Cabin - Pinwheel
Agnes Robertson Phillips
1875-1900
100" x 114"

I love a pinwheel, and I'd never seen a set like this!  What a fun way to use Log Cabin blocks.

See more here:

http://www.quiltindex.org/basicdisplay.php?kid=1D-FC-400

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Log Cabin - Sunshine & Shadow
Mary Jane McDonald
Nova Scotia, Canada
1897
59" x 67"

I really like the use of lights and darks in this one.  I've never seen a Sunshine and Shadow that looks like this.  The depth is amazing.

This story is part of the documentation on the Quilt Index:

"The quilt was one of two Mary Jane McDonald created for two of her granddaughters. On Mary Jane's death, this quilt was left to her granddaughter Winifred Viola Macdonald, then in her 8th year. Winifred gave the quilt to her daughter Audrey Marion Turton who passed it on to her son Keith Douglas Turton who then donated it to the Royal Alberta Museum in December 2004, approximately 100 years after the quilt was created."

See more here:

http://www.quiltindex.org/basicdisplay.php?kid=5A-9B-3

* * * * * *

Streak of Lightning

1865

Isn't this one fun?  I particularly like the border and how it echoes the main blocks.  It looks to me to be pieced.

I have no information about it at all.  The picture originated on flickr, and is linked below.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/herroyalmajesty/6325989932/in/photostream/

* * * * * * *

Straight Furrows

Morning Star Elkins

1840 - 1860

67" x 80"

This one has the traditional red centers.  I did the math, and these blocks are less than 3 1/2" square!  That means the strips finish at less than 1/2".  Wow.  Beautiful!

See more here:

http://www.quiltindex.org/basicdisplay.php?kid=18-36-896

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We'll continue next week with more quilts

using the marvelous Log Cabin block!

Happy Quilting!!

PLEASE NOTE:

- I am not a quilt historian.  I simply enjoy finding interesting quilts and sharing them with you!

- The quilt images on this post were sourced from The Quilt Index unless otherwise noted, and are linked to their origin whenever possible.