Log Cabins, Real and Quilted

'"Once upon a time, sixty years ago, a little girl lived in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, in a little gray house made of logs." With these words Laura Ingalls Wilder began her beloved Little House series of books in which she recounted her early years and her family's search for a home in the mid-west. Wilder's descriptions of her log cabin homes helped shape my images of them as small but sturdy buildings offering shelter, warmth and security in as yet untamed places.

Some of these structures remain scattered across the United States, some in sad disrepair, others lovingly maintained as reminders of the pioneering spirit of their residents. In Jackson Hole, Wyoming, one of the iconic spots for photographers is Mormon Row, where the cabins and barns seem to be perfectly situated, their roof lines echoing silhouettes of the mountains behind them.

Sunrise at the T. A. Moulton Barn

The John Moulton Barn and the Grand Teton

More incongruous is the cabin in the middle of downtown Dallas. This one, dating from about 1850, was moved to its current site in 1971 to show where a cabin stood in the 1840s.

Some log buildings are still in use, such as the 1927 Adirondack Loj (pronounced "lodge"), which provides meals and overnight accommodation to Adirondack Park visitors.

During our early summer wanderings in the Adirondacks we spent a comfortable and quiet night at the lodge.

Adirondak Loj main room

We chose a bunk room over a conventional private bedroom.

Adirondak Loj bunk room

It is no surprise that log cabins have inspired generations of quilt makers. In many ways log cabin quilts are very like the structures after which they are named: simple, sturdy and warm.

Log cabin quilts are made of log cabin blocks. Each block starts with a center square, (representing the hearth, the literal and figurative center of a home), and then is built up, log by log, with each log oriented ninety degrees relative to its neighbors. Usually the logs alternate between two light and two dark, as though two sides of the cabin are in sun and two in shadow.

Here is a circa 1900 log cabin quilt that I purchased years ago at the City of Austin Garage Sale. The seller credited its making to an Annie Rocher, of Austin, Texas. That is unfortunately all I know of the quilt's provenance other than what can be gleaned from the quilt itself. The block arrangement is known as a "barn raising" set, and though not finely made, it has been well cared for. Many of the fabrics remain bright since it has seen little use as a bedcover and has apparently never been laundered. I think the exuberant use of red makes for a lively composition.

Annie Rocher log cabin quilt (note it is 11 blocks wide and 10 blocks high)

Annie Rocher used a large collection of fabrics including solids, prints and plaids in cotton, silk and blends, so many that it seems that every time I look at it I discover another fabric I had not previously noticed.

Detail of Annie Rocher quilt

Here is my own recent version of a log cabin quilt. I made it as a birthday gift for a dear friend and hope that, unlike Annie Rocher's quilt, it will be used until it is in tatters.

The color scheme, which is rather on the cool side and a little unusual for a log cabin quilt, came to life in the class I took with Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr at QuiltCon earlier this year. When I mentioned that I was planning a log cabin quilt Weeks and Bill quickly picked out from my stash a bunch of taupes and neutrals, some old shirtings and a few plaids, and suggested rich brown, one of their go-to colors, for the block centers.

I don't know if this is what they envisioned, but I really like the result. I think it is a subtle and fresh take on an old favorite. Viewed from a distance you can easily see the difference between the dark and light sides of each block, but up close you can't. When I was assembling it I had to keep stepping back to ensure each block was correctly oriented. In spite of its subdued colors, the zig zag pattern, fittingly called a "streak of lightening," gives the piece energy.

I made it without borders and used a black and grey stripe for the binding.

For those of you interested in the details of the quilt's construction, I pieced it by machine and quilted it, block by block, using the computer guided function of my long arm machine. I combined two corner patterns to make a square, changing the orientation of it for each block so that the dark half was quilted in the denser pattern and the light half in a more open pattern.

QuiltCon 2015!

QuiltCon was in Austin again this year, bigger and better than in 2013.  There were more quilts, more classes, more vendors. It was particularly exciting to see the dramatic improvements in quilt design and workmanship compared to 2013.

I was fortunate to take several workshops, including ones on color theory by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr. Weeks and Bill, two of the earliest "modern" quilters, are adept at working with the entire color spectrum. I will confess that the heavy use of aqua and orange in quilts shown at QuitCon is one of my pet peeves, as though using these two hues is a requirement if you want your quilt to be considered "modern." Anyway, if you have a chance to spend time with either Weeks or Bill, I highly encourage you to do so. They are energetic, cheerful, open-minded and graciously share their wisdom and insights.  Here are a few of my "take-aways."

Improvisational quilting doesn't mean thoughtless design or sloppy workmanship.  It may mean relaxing some "rules," or cutting and sewing without first having worked out every shape and every fabric. But it still requires that you work with intention and an idea of what you are trying to achieve if you want a dynamic and pleasing composition.

Practice some restraint in use of color. Limit use of color along one or more dimensions -- hue, saturation, or value -- to make your quilt visually stronger. As in photography, the story is often stronger and the message clearer if you put less in the frame.

If using a photo for inspiration, there is no need to replicate the photo.  You already have the photo. If the colors appeal to you, figure out why and use that to choose fabrics. I have been pondering my photos of dinghies from a trip to Massachusetts in 2013, wanting to somehow interpret them as quilts. I got myself stuck on the idea of a literal translation. Thanks to Bill for making me realize that I won't improve on the photo with that approach. Now I will simply use the photos to guide my color choices.

Photo as color inspiration

Too literal a translation is not effective here

Another take-away from their workshops was a more robust vocabulary with which to articulate the details that define a quilt. That has helped me to identify what I find appealing in a given quilt and will thus help me refine my own designs. With that knowledge, I think I am better able to communicate what it was about each of these quilts from the show that made me pause to give it greater consideration.

For example, I found this one interesting because even though it reads as green, there are actually many other hues in it: yellow, blue, orange, grey, and brown. I also like the little pops of floral fabrics that the maker sprinkled around.

"Fuzhou Fujian" by Patricia Lutteral

On this flower-themed piece I like the brave use of a very mod bright pink and blue floral, along with the curving lines. Gently curved lines of hand quilting, similar in scale and shape to the piecing, yet not simply an echo, add to the movement.

"Score for Bias Strip Petals: Daisy" by Sherri Lynn Wood

I enjoy the sheer exuberance of this piece, though on further reflection wonder if there isn't just a tad too much of the saturated pink in the border.

"Sunset Waves" by Laura Hartrich

"Quilt for our Bed" unquestionably has a clear message, though not just because it is literally spelled out. There is a restfulness in the muted colors appropriate for a quilt meant to be slept under and a gentle and comforting expression of love that would seem conducive to sweet dreams.

"Quilt for our Bed" by Laura Hartrich

"Rainbow Magic" is pure fun. I like the free use of various sizes of rectangles, rather than squares, and the unusual collection of fabric styles, all pulled together with a heavy dose of red and orange.

"Rainbow Magic" by Mollie McMahon (age 7)

"Las Ventanas" is fun because of its free-form piecing and vibrant due to its saturated colors, including the eye-popping slightly greenish yellow background.

"Las Ventanas" by Kristin Shields

"Refresh" is interesting because it combines traditional techniques, such as paper piecing, with a modern design elements, such as a large but incomplete star.

"Refresh" by Anna Beonish

Sadly for me, QuiltCon is moving to Pasadena, California, in 2016 and to Savannah, Georgia, in 2017.  By way of farewell to Austin, here is an evening photo looking north along Congress Avenue towards the Texas Capitol.

Good evening, Austin