Log Cabins. . . Again

My first quilt (1981) was a queen size log cabin in typical roses and blues. There is a wonderful frugality to the design, and I liked that there were practically no scraps leftover when I made the 100 blocks. Just thinking about doing such a long term project now gives me the willies. But looking back (conveniently in my quilt closet) I find several of my past log cabins made in various settings. Above, Lollapalooza L.C. II from 1995 and below it's forebearer Lollapalooza L.C. also from that year (I think...)


Now I am back doing another log cabin quilt, and the reason is rather convoluted, so hold on and I will try to make this clear.
1. My friend Mary and I are fans of another quilter, Marianne Haak of The Quilting Edge .
We look at her work and marvel. She has been doing Quilt As You Go quilts on her blog and has fabu tutorials explaining her process. It makes my mouth water and I have wanted to do this, but for such a long time had NO REASON to make another pieced quilt.

2. At knitting last week my friend and fave knitting model Ellen was telling me about her two 50" log cabin quilts that she uses as table toppers. She mentioned their 'tame' color ways and that she wanted to maybe seek out something more Amish colored, and was going to look on Etsy. I sat up and took notice, but actually kept mum. Hard to believe, I know.

3. It came to me in a flash that maybe I could whip up a L.C. quilt and see if she liked it.
So I got out the fabric and began to make blocks.



And then it dawned on me that THESE ARE NOT AMISH. Duh. I mean really...how dumb am I? Don't answer.  How this happened: I got out my precut strips, of which I have boxes, since I have been collecting for two years. I jumped right in willy nilly and was just loving the process, until reality hit my brain.
So starting over, I got out a few books with Amish colors and absorbed the difference. Solids, with lots more darks than I usually use. Here is a Nancy Crow piece that has often inspired me. Orange, blacks, whites, greens, browns, blues, and lots of lovely muddy colors.



OK I get it now.
I put away the bright prints and brought out my solids and now I feel like I am swimming in the Amish pool.
Here's my little piecing set up. A small ironing pad, my mini rotary mat and not visible is my iron.
The blocks are going to be large, 16", and I will be doing a ninepatch setting. But I am going to use Marianne's idea of quilt as you go to do this, and will of course, blog it all over the next few days.



We have no partying planned for the Fourth of July holiday, and because of the dogs, no fireworks either.  My party will be in the studio.