"Log Cabin Echoes" - upcycled blues #39 top finished

As I go further and further into my upcycled blues scraps, the pieces left are smaller and smaller.

I decided to do a 1.5" log cabin, but I knew the problem would be "big pieces" - lots of available strips and such are pretty small.

So, I started by making a small log cabin block - it finishes at 5.5" as a block -so in the quilt it is only a 5" block.

I do like the detail you can get with small blocks, though, so I tried to keep myself motivated. I started on this one over a week ago. I grew weary of making these little blocks quickly. After all, I just made Palace Tile and On the Plus Side - both of which used small-ish pieces. 

So, I decided to help myself by starting to put it together. I put the first two rows together - then make some more blocks and put the next 3 rows together. Then, the next almost 100 blocks and put the next 5 rows together.  By this time, I was getting faster at making the blocks - and slower at finding usable pieces - pieces with enough to cut out 5.5" strips. I had to dig into my box of mediums/darks blues that I hadn't used yet- and it did make it faster to cut from larger pieces.

And so on. I was able to finish this top a couple of days ago. I had originally thought I would show you Lacy Chains, but the pattern is a bear and I'm simply not ready for it.

So, here's my next "upcycled blues" top - ready for you!

I decided to play around with the arrangement and not make a regular layout with the blocks. I guess I was in the mood for something a little different.

So it is.

I started with the layout that you can see in the background and then turned blocks to get the design you see. I wanted a splashy design with some repeats in other places. That's what I did. In the end I like it though I had my doubts at first.

My husband hates the design. He said he prefers things totally balanced. Oh well. I didn't ask him - he just commented when he saw it on the computer screen! 

I suggested that he just not look.

Of course that is hard when I have it all laid out on the living room floor and we have to walk past it to get to the kitchen table!

Anyway, the pattern is here. 

NOTE: At the suggestion of some in our Facebook group, I've added a "Buy me a Coffee" button to the free patterns page. If you find value in the patterns, and want to donate - this will go through Paypal - you can "buy me a coffee" - and show your appreciation for the patterns. (There are certainly no obligations and I won't keep mentioning it - but it's a new thing, so I thought I would write about it today!) 

It's super super easy. Just a whole lot of piecing. But once again, this put another dent in my smaller blues pieces.  Because I used off whites/creams as the background, I got away with using some light blues in the dark part - which made it easier for me to find the pieces I needed.

I hope you like this one as much as I do.  I tend to like the ones that involve heavy piecing more than the ones I can whip up faster. I think it is because I like the intricacy of the look. I've not gotten into miniatures yet, but if I did, that would be the ultimate. I've got too much fabric and not enough patience to attempt miniatures!

And that's what's been happening in my part of the quilting world!

Have a great one!

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Be sure to check out what my sis has for you over in the shop!

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