Log Cabin Variation – Scrappy Housetop Log Cabin Block Tutorial
Hello Dear Friends and Readers, whilst we are on the topic of Log Cabin Quilt Block Variations, I would be remiss if I did not give a mention to this other Log Cabin design called the Housetop Block so I wanted to share these thoughts with you. I have to thank my friend Ellie Millbank for her inspiration as she sent me some of her fabric scraps among which were some black prints. I don’t normally use black in my quilts but they inspired me to this block.
The Housetop Log Cabin Blocks are a very bold design which instead of alternating light and dark strips to adjacent or opposing sides as with traditional Log Cabin blocks,, the alternation of pattern or colours are in rounds creating the illusion of a house roof or a tunnel which emulates, in some ways, the idea of medallion quilts. Wow! Once again, here is a wonderful use for scrap strips. make them thin or thick, or same colours, solids or prints, or even adding different squares or blocks within the strips. Make the rounds to make a quilt which is as individual as you are. It’s like genetics. The possibilities are really infinite. the blocks can be small or large or even a whole quilt They can also be made as the Half Log Cabin block as well. Log Cabin Variation – Scrappy Half Log Cabin or Quarter Log Cabin Quilt Block Tutorial
The result can be anything from romantic to illusionary. All those scrap strips, come on…, I must confess I have always wanted to make some of these.
Today’s project, will be a simple Scrappy Housetop Log Cabin Block using 1 ½” strips, sorted into light and dark. Here is some inspiration.
For these Scrappy Housetop Log Cabin Blocks, my impression is that the centre represents the chimney, so I am choosing, black or very dark prints for those.
This is a lovely opportunity to use up 1 ½” fabric strips. Maybe you have one of those honeybun rolls like these https://www.etsy.com/au/market/honey_bun_fabric lying around that have never been used, or like me you may have some strips already cut which have been saved for just such a project. I would encourage you to use up scraps from your stash. I find it amazing how much fabric there is in the leftover scraps!
Block size 10 ½” x 10 ½”
Requirements for one Scrappy Housetop Log Cabin Block
One black centre square 2 ½ x 2 ½
All the strips are cut from 1 ½” width of fabric strips. The cutting goes quite quickly because we are using 2 each of each strip size and fabric.
Light strips – two each of 2 ½, 4½”, 6 ½”, 8 ½”
Dark Strips – two each of 4 ½”, 6 ½”, 8 ½” and 10 ½“
Use the method used for Courthouse Steps, that being, adding the strips to opposite sides. This means two of each colour strip length can be cut together for greater efficiency.
Beginning with the centre square add a light 2 ½ strip to two opposite sides of the black centre square. Now add a light 4 ½ strip to the other two sides.
Sew a 4 ½” dark strip to the two sides of the block on the sides of the 2 ½” light strips, so that the fabric strips are like steps each time they are sewn on. Then sew the two 6 ½” dark strips to the two opposite sides, creating a dark round.
Next round, sew a 6 ½” light strip to two opposite sides of the block on the sides of where the 4 ½” dark strips, again to ”step” the strips. Then sew an 8 ½” light strip to the other two sides.
Continue in the manner to sew the last round of dark strips beginning with the two 8 ½” strips followed by the two 10 ½” strips.
There you have one Scrappy Housetop Log Cabin Block.
I will be back soon to show you how they look as a group. You can probably see how a lot of scrap can be used and the cutting of the fabric strips is quick and simple.
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Happy sewing,
Susie
© Susan Stuklis 2022