Since September I have been coordinating a project in my community. And only now have I begun to piece together a prototype log cabin square. (It's the buried thing in this photo. My camera died this morning just after it snapped this.) And this one isn't even to go into the end project. It was to see how well the pattern I drafted last week would work. During this trial, I found this tutorial at a great blog called Craft Actually. This tutorial is just perfect for beginners like me. I have made other simple quilts, just never a log cabin. And Helen was absolutely right. In her post she said "Soon you will not be able to stop." Indeed. I am now obsessed with cutting strips and straight stitching. But this post probably gave that away ages ago. I am really enjoying this process.
This said project is a super special secret and involves many incredible individuals. I have worked out the kinks now and can turn over the fabric to some kind folks to help cut lovely strips. I have been offered a lot of help and for the first time ever on something like this, I'm excited to delegate. I will do embroidering in each of the "special" squares.
For a project of this caliber involving so many hands, the to do list looked something like this:
Identify seamstresses in the group
Identify seamstresses with piecing, applique, embroidery or quilting experience
"Select" colorway
Coordinate individuals for "designing" fabric. (This was what took the longest. I started in January and I am almost finished. I've moved on to the next steps because not having them will not hold up the project. We can add them when they are finished which will be next week.)
Bust into stash and supplement with purchased fabrics if necessary to fit colorway.
Draft a pattern.
Try the pattern out.
Examine "designed" pieces and cut out best sections.
Embroider each cut out section.
Cut many many strips.
Gather 12 strips for each section.
Piece together around centerpiece.
