Needlecrafts Quilting Quilting Basics

Photo Gallery and Layout Tips for Log Cabin Quilts

Log Cabin Quilt on Bed
Log Cabin Quilt on a Bed Andrea Rugg / Getty Images

Have fun browsing the layouts in this Log Cabin quilts roundup. You'll find related quilts, too—pineapple quilts and others of similar design. Many quilters have sewn these quilts and have taken their own liberties to create something that's uniquely their own.

Traditionally, Log Cabin quilt blocks are designed with a light half and a dark half, with the division running along each block's diagonal. The differences in color value make it a cinch to create an endless number of layouts by turning blocks around when you use a design wall or other flat surface to preview a quilt.

The quilt shown here is a traditional Barn Raising Log Cabin design. Blocks are oriented so that light areas flow together at the quilt's center to create a square that appears to be on point, even though blocks are sewn side by side in a straight setting.

Remaining quilt blocks are turned to create the continuous look of squares within squares. The contrast can be shifted by placing the dark halves of blocks in the quilt's central area.

Log cabin quilts are sometimes made using foundation piecing techniques, but they can also be sewn piece by piece without the help of foundations.

  • 01 of 19

    Sunshine and Shadows Log Cabin Quilt Layout

    Vintage Log Cabin Quilt
    Indianapolis Museum of Art / Getty Images

    Sunshine and Shadows is a popular Log Cabin quilt design.

    Look closely at the photo and you'll notice that the design is created when four quilt blocks are clustered together into two rows. Light sides touch in each row of two blocks. The four-block layout continues throughout the quilt.

    This is a lovely example of a scrap quilt.

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  • 02 of 19

    Barn Raising Log Cabin Scrap Quilt

    King Size Log Cabin Scrap Quilt
    Canadian Quilter

    Here is another example of a barn raising log cabin quilt. This quilt was for a king-size mattress and it was made almost entirely from a fabric stash. 2" strips of fabric were used to assemble the quilt. The ​quilt backing is pieced and made from 10" scrap blocks.

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  • 03 of 19

    Fall Days Log Cabin Quilt

    Fall Days Log Cabin and Applique Quilt
    Melissa Mrock

    Melissa turned her blocks into a medallion quilt.

    Three different machines were used to make the log cabin quilt blocks, and when it came time to put them together, they were all different sizes. Melissa had to pick out the ones that were about the same size (with the same amount of strips in them). She didn't have enough, so she made a panel for the middle of the quilt. She used fabric paint and cut maple leaves out of hand-dyed muslin. Next, she tea-dyed the muslin and sewed the maple leaves onto its center, using applique for the stems, and zig-zag stitches around the leaves.

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  • 04 of 19

    Schoolhouse Cottage Log Cabin Quilt

    Schoolhouse Cottage Log Cabin Quilt
    sheilago

    Sheilago made this quilt in the spring of 2009 for her teenage daughter. In December, she began snuggling under the Christmas tree quilt she made and missed doing that after Christmas had passed.

    She created this quilt by modifying a design by Jean Ann Wright which was shown in Quilt magazine. Sheilago added a Country Cottage block from Country Quilt, plus extra log cabin squares and heart applique. This was her first attempt at hand quilting.

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  • 05 of 19

    Spiral Log Cabin Quilt

    Spiral Log Cabin Quilt
    Momof11

    This Barn Raising Log Cabin quilt was made from 6" log cabin blocks received in a swap on a quilting forum. The quilt finishes at approximately 65" x 80".

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  • 06 of 19

    Hues of Blues Pineapple Quilt

    Hues of Blues Pineapple Quilt
    Rich the Quilt Man

    This quilt was made because the quilter needed something to keep their hands and mind busy. They used simple steps to paper piece it together with the help of their mom and it finishes as a 95" x 95" queen size quilt.

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  • 07 of 19

    Anita's Tropical Pineapple Quilt

    Anita's Tropical Pineapple Quilt
    Anita Grossman Solomon

    This pineapple quilt measures 38" square, originally with a paper pieced border. The 10" finished blocks were not foundation pieced. The maker used their method of rotary cutting squares of fabric into perfect patches without wasting any fabric. This quilt was professionally quilted by Janice Petre, Sinking Spring, PA in 2009.

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  • 08 of 19

    Wonky Pineapple Blues Miniature Quilt

    Wonky Pineapple Blues - Miniature Quilt
    Lisa Jo

    This miniature pineapple quilt measures 20" X 20", and was created for a swap online. It was given as a gift and the maker took their recipient's favorite pattern and made it wonky. 

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  • 09 of 19

    Beverly's Tildy's Cabin Quilt Variation

    Beverly's version of Pitchers for Tildy's Cabin quilt
    Beverly I. Long

    This quilt is a rendition of our log cabin pattern with easy applique pitcher blocks. The maker, Beverly, got too impatient for the pattern and tweat4ed it a little to eliminate the triangles on the sides and corners. Hers is the lazy way, not on point. She also used the pitcher and bowl in silhouette and decided to leave it that way. 

    Do you see other ways to alter its layout? Start looking at quilt patterns with an eye to how they can be changed and you'll discover lots of ways to tweak designs to suit your own tastes.

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  • 10 of 19

    Twisted Log Cabin Quilt

    Twisted Log Cabin Quilt
    Elaine Williams

    The pattern is from the Simply Quilt show opening. We love the bright colors against the sparkly black fabric. The maker paper pieced the quilt. 

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  • 11 of 19

    Sunflowers, Sunshine, and Daisies Quilt

    Sunflowers, Sunshine & Daisies log cabin quilt
    Margaret Handlin

    This king size quilt was made as a wedding present. The pattern design is by Jackie Robinson of Eureka, MT, and The Quilt Studio in Omaha, NE did the quilting.

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  • 12 of 19

    Scrappy Log Cabin Quilt

    Scrappy Log Cabin for Matt
    Robicole

    Robicole was inspired to make this quilt for a friend when they saw what fun they were having in a swap for these little log cabin blocks.

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  • 13 of 19

    A Fields and Furrows Log Cabin Quilt

    Red Roses for Annie Log Cabin Quilt
    Janice Jackson

    This quilt was sewn using a Confetti Log Cabin quilt pattern. It was made for a friend's birthday. The quilt measures about 74" x 96". The red roses in the white areas were machine quilted. These quilt blocks are arranged in a Fields and Furrows layout.

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  • 14 of 19

    Log Cabin Baby Quilt

    Log Cabin Baby Quilt
    Tara Long Lawner

    This quilt measures approximately 50 x 50 inches, with nine log cabin blocks surrounded by borders. The block piecing was free-form. 

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  • 15 of 19

    Lazy Grrrl Log Cabin Quilt

    Lazy Grrrl Log Cabin Quilt by T-Marie
    T-Marie

    This quilt is a version of the Lazy Grrrl's log cabin from a quilt show. It is sewn in Christmas colors and measures 46" x 55". 

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  • 16 of 19

    Dee Fractals Pineapple Quilt

    Fractals Quilt - Offset Pineapple Quilt
    Dee in Tex

    This quilt was sewn using an offset pineapple block from Rich Traditions. It makes your eyes jump a bit but we enjoy looking at it. The quilt started out to be larger to get the circular effect of the pattern, but after the quilter looked at it on their design wall, they decided it would be overwhelming to increase the size.

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  • 17 of 19

    Deedra's Log Cabin Quilt

    Deedra's Quilt
    Dee in Tex

    This Barn Raising Log Cabin quilt was made for the quilter's sister. 

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  • 18 of 19

    Log Cabin Star Quilt

    Log Cabin Star Quilt
    KATELNORTH

    This quilt top resulted from a block swap the quilter hosted. Each person chose the accent colors of her blocks and they swapped two blocks each.

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  • 19 of 19

    Star Flowers Log Cabin Quilt

    Star Flowers Log Cabin Quilt
    TARTAN

    This queen size quilt is made from Star Flower blocks. The blocks were alternated with courthouse steps blocks to make a large quilt.