scrappy cabin tutorial!!

scrappy cabin tutorial!!

Oh the wonder of a beautiful scrap pile! For the purposes of this challenge we have decided that anything smaller than a fat sixteenth may be deemed a "scrap". We really want to challenge ourselves to ONLY use scraps for this quilt.

Take a piece of grid paper (inches not centimeters) and mark a 2" x 2" square in the middle.Carefully following the above picture, mark half inch blocks around the centre square.Work in a clockwise fashion until there are 3 half inch blocks on all four sides of the centre square. The completed grid will measure 5" x 5". This is your template.From lightweight non-woven, non glued interfacing, cut out many squares measuring 7" x 7". These squares will be the foundation of your scrappy log cabins.Take one square of interfacing and place it over your template. Trace all the lines and the numbers from the template onto the interfacing using a lead pencil and ruler. Be very careful to trace the grid accurately. You may use tape to hold it in place. Repeat to make as many foundations as you require.

From your scraps roughly cut a square of fabric measuring at least 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".Place over the centre square on the WRONG side of your interfacing.From your scraps roughly cut a piece of fabric long enough to cover section 1 on your grid with at least 1/4" overlap all the way around. Cutting these strips approximately 1" width seems to be a good size.Lay this fabric strip right sides together over the centre square ensuring that it overlaps into the section labeled "1" by at least 1/4".Carfelly turn the work over and sew together along the first line on the traced side of the interfacing.Turn back to the wrong side and trim excess fabric.Open fabric out and press over section "1".

Cut another scrap of fabric at least 1" wide and long enough to cover the section labeled "2" with at least a 1/4" seam allowance either end.Again place fabric right sides together over the centre square ensuring that in overlaps into section 2 as per picture.Again turn your work over to sew along the traced line on your interfacing. Turn work back over and trim excess fabric.Open out and press over section 2.

Continue to work around the centre square in a clockwise fashion adding the "logs" around the block. When you have all 13 pieces of fabric sewn into position press flat with an iron.Turn the whole block over and sew a stabalising row of stitching approx 1/8" outside the outermost traced border.

Using your rotary cutter, trim the block 1/4" outside the outer traced border. This will make your complete block measure 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" allowing 1/4" seam allowance all the way around the 5" block.Congratulations you have made your first cabin! Every time you see lovely fabric scraps on your craft room floor, make up another few cabins. We are hoping that by September we should all have enough cabins to sew beautiful quilts. Maybe these quilts will be crib quilts but we are hoping to achieve queen sized quilts!