Some of todays Log Cabin quilts are made with many different color combinations and patterns. I'm going to show you how to make it the traditional way and you can experiment from there. Most traditional Log Cabin quilts are made with scrap fabrics, so there are many different possible combinations. We will use 3 different colors.

Choose 1 color for your center square, 3 light fabrics, and 3 dark fabrics. Many times quilters will choose a combination of different lights and darks. Whatever you decide, just make sure that your colors go from the lightest to the darkest on each side. So, you can choose to make each side out of 1 color, 3 colors, or 6 colors. Here's how to cut your fabric:

• Cut one 3-1/2" square for the center.

Dark logs...cut 1 of each. All are 2" wide in the following lengths:

• One 3-1/2" and one 5" out of your lightest dark.
• One 6-1/2" and one 8" out of your medium dark.
• One 9-1/2" and one 11" out of your darkest dark.

Light logs...cut 1 of each. All are 2" wide in the following lengths:

• One 5" and one 6-1/2" from your lightest light.
• One 8" and one 9-1/2" from your medium light.
• One 11" and one 12-1/2" from your darkest light.

When you are sewing your seams, be careful to finger press each seam and carefully sew a 1/2" seam. If you are pulling and tugging to make the rectangles fit then something is wrong. Each side should fit perfectly. Sewing for this square is going to be done in a clockwise direction. (Some Log Cabins are done in a counterclockwise direction.) All seams are sewn right sides together.

Step one:
Sew the 3-1/2" dark log to the top of the center square.

Going clockwise, sew the 5" dark log to the next side.

Now sew the light 5" light log to the third side.

Finally, sew the 6-1/2" light log to the fourth side.

Your first round is done. Measure to make sure the block is 6-1/2" square.

Continue to sew on the next round of logs as follows:
Round 5: dark 6-1/2"; round 6: dark 8"; round 7: light 8"; round 8: light 9-1/2".
Your block should now measure 9-1/2" square.

The final round is as follows:
Round 9: dark 9-1/2"; round 10: dark 11"; round 11: light 11"; round 12: light 12-1/2".
Your block should now measure 12-1/2" square.

There are so many possibilities for this square that it would take many hours to show them all to you. Have fun with this one. Our final quilt block will return to those wonderful triangles. You didn't think I forgot about them, did you? So, choose your last two colors and join me next month for our final block. Until then...happy quilting.