Great Lakes Modern Quilt Guild: February/March Online Block!

If you were at our January meeting, you may recall seeing a neat-looking paper-pieced hexagon star block that Jill made, which we'd planned on using as our online block activity. However, due to challenges with the template, we've changed gears for this month.

Inspired by the back of the quilt Pam shared at our February social meeting, we're doing a scrappy Log Cabin block and cutting it in quarters.

These quarter Log Cabin blocks have so many possibilities--I got excited just searching through Google images tonight, so I put together a quick Pinterest board of quilts made from Log Cabin quarter blocks. Check it out here.

The details:

Make a 17" square Log Cabin block using whatever color fabrics you like.
I recommend starting with a center square that is 4"-6", which will give you more wiggle room when it comes to cutting the completed block into quarters.
The logs can be different widths (even within a round!), but please keep all logs in the same round in the same color family. I made some rounds where all four logs were the same fabric, some where three were one fabric and one a different fabric, and some that were two of one fabric and two of another.
Continue adding logs until your block measures at least 17" square. (Don't worry about making your block 17" square exactly--make it larger and trim down!)
As you add different width rows, pay attention to your middle square and try to keep it somewhat centered. This will ensure that you have some of this middle square in all four of your quarter blocks. If you look at my samples below, two of the quarter blocks have very small sections of the middle square, even with me trying to keep the square centered. That's why I recommend starting with a larger center square!
Trim your block to measure 17" square and then cut in half both directions to make four 8.5" blocks.
If you need a refresher on how to make a Log Cabin block, here's a tutorial. Just make sure to use our measurements (17" block!)--only use her method.

Here are my two sample blocks, shown both whole and cut into quarters:

One additional tip: When I'm making scrappy Log Cabin blocks, I sometimes lose track of which side of the block I should be adding the next strip to so I can keep the "in the round" order going (don't look too closely at the block with the yellow outer strips, as I screwed up the order partway though that block!). Your next strip always goes on the side that already has two seams, as shown here:

I also found some fantastic Log Cabin block construction tips here. Since ours our scrappy, these tips don't necessarily apply, but I've filed them away for use in future Log Cabin projects.

Just for fun, I quickly arranged my quarter blocks in two different layouts:

I'm partial to the Bento Box style above, but I've seen so many neat quilts using the layout below as well.

Can't wait to see your blocks! And be sure to check out the Pinterest board I made (with sashing! with only solids! alternating lights and darks in each round!)--you might, like me, seriously consider making nothing but Log Cabin blocks for the rest of your quilting life! :)

Now for the details on how to win the blocks:

Submission/Winning:

Submit a photo of the completed block by March 28. We want this to be fun and easy, not stressful, so we have several options for submitting your photo.

If you have a Flickr account, please post the photo to Flickr, add it to the Great Lakes Modern Quilt Guild group pool, and tag it GLMQG032015. *Adding the tag is key, because it allows the photo to get into the slideshow on our blog.*
If you have a Facebook account, you may post the picture to the Great Lakes Modern Quilt Guild Facebook page.
You may email your photo to glmodernquilter@gmail.com
If you do not have access to a digital camera, contact me (Lisa) and I will arrange to photograph your block.

How to win all the blocks:

We are going to draw for a winner of all the blocks at our next live meeting, which is March 28. You do not need to be present to win.
IMPORTANT: If you want to be entered in the drawing but will not be at the meeting with your block, please make sure to let another attendee know. We try our best to make sure everyone who submits a photo of their block gets entered in the drawing, but making sure a friend puts your name in the hat will guarantee you have a chance to win!
You get your name in the drawing each time you enter a block. So, if you submit two blocks, your name goes in the drawing twice!
Please bring your completed block to the March meeting so all the blocks can be delivered to the winner. If the winner is not at the meeting, we will mail them to him/her.
We'll post the name of the winner here on the blog. So, if we don't have your email address, check the blog so you can see if you won and can send us your contact information. (If you are at the meeting, you'll get your blocks on the spot!)
If you will not be at the meeting, either

Give the block to a friend to bring it for you, or
Mail it in. E-mail us at glmodernquilter@gmail.com, and we'll send you the mailing address where you can send your blocks.

That winner must assemble the blocks into a finished quilt before being eligible to win again. Fair enough?

As always, leave a comment if you have a question and I'll try to answer it!
Thanks!
Lisa