This range has to be one of my favourite in recent months and thanks go to Groves for introducing me to it. Brought to us from Tilda it pairs classical flowers with peacocks with a beautiful palette of rich colours. Pinks, mustards, greens and blues. When I was sent a strip roll of this gorgeousness I knew that I wanted a quick lap quilt to snuggle up with through the Autumn.
Lazy Log Cabins are a great way to use a strip roll for a quick quilt and if you don’t have a strip roll you can cut fabrics into 2 1/2” strips. I used some of the coordinating plain in lilac in the centre of the blocks and as the cornerstones of the sashing. Lazy Logs is a technique which falls into the area of improv – no measuring, just sew and trim. I did plan a little by dividing the fabrics into colours, putting all the pinks, greens, blues and greys together. I then ensured that each side of the blocks were worked with the same colour.
Another little detail I love about this range is the selvedge, tiny lanterns in the same colours. I have published a blog, some time ago, about how to use selvedges for projects, which you can find here. Some find this a step too far but, considering how the price of fabric is rising and how we should be really be using every scrap we can, having a pretty selvedge is a nice touch.
The roll gives enough for ten 14 1/2” blocks, nine were used for the front and I used the last one on the back, along with the leftover scraps to bulk out the back as I didn’t have quite enough of the lilac. This does add interest to a plain backing and ensures there was no waste at all as every piece was used. The roll also gave enough for the binding which I pieced from the left over pieces that were longer.
Now here is where I confess I haven’t finished it yet as I am waiting for delivery of my new long arm but I have it ready to practice on as soon as it arrives.
Here’s how to make your own:
You will need one Tilda Chic Escape or similar strip roll.
2m of backing/cornerstones fabric.
60” square of wadding.
Divide your fabrics into colour groupings. Pinks, blues, greens, greys and yellows. You may find different strip rolls have a different number of colours. Some naturally split into three, four or more. Just got with what feels right for you, to be honest, it doesn’t really matter with a strip roll as you know all the fabrics will go together.
Set aside 6 strips for the sashing. Cut each of these into three 14 1/2” rectangles. I chose the pale background strips from my roll.
Cut 26, 2 1/2” squares. 10 for your central squares of the block, 16 for the cornerstones of the sashing.
To make the Lazy Logs take a 2 1/2” square of your central fabric and place it right sides together with the first strip. Join with a scant 1/4” seam. Repeat with the remaining 9 squares. I joined two at a time to the same strip but you could mix and match them.
Cut the strip level with the squares. Press the seam to the ‘dark side’. Take another strip and place right sides together and repeat. Continue joining strips working your way around the block. I continued to add a total of twelve strips which gave a 14 1/2” block, rotating around the central square.
A slightly different take would be to make Courthouse Steps by adding to the opposite sides of the central square.
Take the sashing strips and join the Cornerstones to make four sashing rows.
Join the remaining sashing strips to either side of the blocks to make three block rows.
Join the rows together with the sashing rows.
The backing was pieced using the left over block and strips.
Join the longer strips to make enough binding. You will need a length of 210” for continuous binding.
Layer and quilt as desired.
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