1930's Log Cabin

In "Patchwork Quilts Made Easy" by Jean Wells, published in 1994, is this very attractive pattern titled "1930's Log Cabin." It was a quilt I wanted to make ever since I bought the book. Last summer a friend gifted me with a lot of "retro" prints, perfect for that pattern. I started on it right away, and by fall the top was complete, except for the borders.

Then the need to do the two new banners for church took precedence, and this project remained on the design board in its almost finished state until recently. I finished the

project during the Thursday quilting group, and this afternoon finished the last of the hand stitching on the binding and the hanging sleeve.

I'm delighted to see it on the wall above our bed, where it nicely complements the Pennsylvania Hex design quilt that we've been using for 13 years. The center red squares are actually left over material from the bed quilt.

I decided to quilt "lozenges" point to point to offset how very rectangular the quilt design is, using white thread on the background, a variegated on the coloured patches, anchoring them to the corners of the red squares. I'm very, very pleased with how this project turned out. I love it on our green wall.

I wanted a "feature" wall for the headboard and did a base coat, then a sponged coat, and then spent 6 hours stamping all the oak leaves, one at a time.

As long as we are in the bedroom, I'll show you what else adorns the walls. I've always been someone who thinks that hand-made is better than store-bought, and our bedroom really reflects that. First up are two crewelwork pictures. The left hand small stitchery was a valentine for Jim in about 1980. The stitchery on the right I did in the 80's to go with the Hex design quilt for the bed (which wasn't finished until 1997).

In the 70's my dear friend Hilda bought a LeClerc 36" floor loom, and we did some weaving together on it. She had a plain white warp on and I made this wall hanging on that plain warp. I call it "Winter Sun" as the background seems like a snowy landscape. The background yarn is all "White Buffalo" unspun yarn. The sun is made of several colours of red yarn done in Rya knots. What doesn't show clearly on the photo are the small coloured beads scattered in the fringe. That was a suggestion of the woman at the weaving shop, and really finished it off nicely. Just seemed to be a needed touch.

On the left is a watercolour that I did in 1991, and gave to Jim as a present. It was only recently matted and framed, thanks to my friend D. and now hangs on the wall by his side of the bed.

And finally we have, opposite the foot of the bed this wall hanging, which was made in 1996 for the church we were serving as a Thanksgiving Day banner. When I finished it, Jim said, "I don't want you to give that away." So I told the banner committee: you may use it whenever you want, but otherwise, it will hang at home.

I hung it in the Garden Centre Sales Building for a few years, but was unhappy with how fly-spotted it became over the summer. So I made another banner to replace it in the Sales Building, and brought it into the house.

We enjoy having it in our room, reminding us every morning how much we have to be thankful for!