 Make a
Folk-style Cabin Quilt
by Wendy Etzel
"Build" your own primitive log cabin using
rough-cut fabric strips.
"Log Homes of the
North" (66" square) captures the primitive feel of rustic log cabins.
Design your own log cabin by following Wendy's directions below.
Imagine you're peeking into the log home of Lydia Jane, an
early settler in central Pennsylvania. The year is 1826 and at last the glass window has
been nailed fast. In the late afternoon, Lydia Jane cherishes the remaining rays of
sunlight that let her put a few more stitches in her first quilt.
 In the center is a log cabin, a testimony to the past year
and all its adventures, challenges and accomplishments. Lydia Jane has no rotary cutter
and more importantly, no rules to follow in making her quilt. Now that the mood has been
set, you are ready to begin "building" your own primitive log cabin, a pieced
structure you can stitch to background fabric to create a delightful folk-art quilt. The
following instructions will yield a cabin viewed from the side like the one shown at
right, "Trees of the Forest". In creating your own log cabin,
abandon all thoughts of accurate drafting, exact cutting and precision sewing.
Let's Begin!
- Choose fabrics to represent logs (brown, black and olive prints lend an
authentic look) and chinking between the logs (beiges, tans and grays work well here). A
variety of both log and chinking fabrics will add interest to the cabin. You'll also need
fabrics for optional doors and windows (plaid or striped accents in colors such as yellows
or reds are good choices), a chimney (gray prints or textured prints that resemble stone
may create the look you desire) and a roof. You'll need a sheet of 8 1/2" x 11"
paper to create the cabin shape and lightweight, non-fusible interfacing for the lined
appliqué pieces such as doors and windows. Three quarters of a yard of background fabric
is a generous amount that will allow you to cut a square or rectangle the desired size.
You'll appliqué the log cabin to this background fabric. Or you may prefer to piece the
background from several fabrics.
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- Using scissors and only your eyes to guide you, cut 12 strips that each
measure approximately 1 1/4" x 18" from the log fabrics. In the same manner, cut
11 strips that each measure approximately 3/4" x 18" from chinking fabrics. Just
as the logs in actual cabins of the past varied in width with chinking used to fill the
gaps, you fabric "logs" will be irregular. This helps achieve a primitive look.
Please, no "Lincoln Logs" in this cabin!
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- Seam log units by sewing strips of log and chinking fabrics together,
alternating them. Pay no attention to seam allowance. By "drifting" a bit, the
logs come alive and the chinking strips can be made quite narrow.
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- Trim the seams to even the allowances and press them toward the logs.
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- To "draft" a side-viewed cabin, fold the 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper
lengthwise down the center. Next fold one of the top outer corners toward the center to
form the slant of the roof. Re-fold it as needed to choose the angle for the roof that is
most pleasing to you. When you've finalized your choice, fold the remaining corner so that
it matches the first one. Open the paper. This is the pattern for your log cabin.
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- Place the paper pattern on the log unit and mark around it with chalk or pencil. Cut the
cabin out on the chalk line. Reserve the excess for additions and outbuildings.
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- To make a corner post, cut a dark strip of "log" fabric the same size as the
first ones. Place this strip along one side of the cabin, right sides together. Sew the
strip to the pieced unit. Trim away the excess length. Open and press the strip and roll
it to the back of the cabin to bind the cut edges, adjusting the width of the corner post
as desired. Repeat, stitching a length of the same dark strip to the other side of the
cabin and trimming as before.
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- Time for the roof. Cut a 1 1 /4" - wide strip of dark fabric that is long enough to
cover the gable and overhang each side by 2" to 2 1/2". With right sides
together, place the strip along the gable and stitch up one side, fold the strip at the
peak and stitch down the opposite side. Trim away the excess length leaving about 2"
of overhang. Or, cut a separate strip for each side and overlap them at the peak. Open and
iron the roof strip(s) and roll it (them) to the back, adjusting the width as desired. The
overhanging roof tails will eventually be folded under and stitched to a background.
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- Cut squares and rectangles of fabric for the door and windows if you wish to add them.
Using a lined appliqué technique, sew a matching-size square or rectangle of non-fusible
interfacing to the right side of each. Cut a small slit in the interfacing, turn the unit
right side out through the slit, push the corners and press each piece with a warm iron.
Appliqué the piece to the log cabin.
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- Construct additions to your cabin with the remnants of your seamed log unit. By making
simple folded paper patterns, a porch or a woodshed can be stitched to the cabin. Refer to
the "Trees of the Forest" quilt above for ideas.
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- A link to the chimney pattern is provided below. You can trim or enlarge it as needed to
fit your log cabin. Use the same lined appliqué method to prepare the chimney and stitch
it in place.
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- Appliqué the completed cabin to a background fabric by hand or machine, turning the
roof ends under. You may also wish to stitch trees, animals, fences, crops or people to
the background to create a pictorial scene. If you wish, frame the completed scene with
pieced or appliqué blocks with the same primitive feel. Some of those antique blocks you
couldn't resist buying might be just perfect in this project.
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Full-Size Chimney Pattern for Folk-Style Cabin
Quilt
To learn more about Wendy, her quilts, information on how to contact her
about her retreats, and where to order her books, visit
The Meeting Place.
Back to Current Quilting
"How-To" Class.
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