Log cabin Red Aggies, a design by Kathy Hamada, top completed

Red Aggies
90 1/2 by 75 1/2 inches
top competed 2025

I call it Red Aggies as it reminds me of some of my favorite marbles in my childnood.
A friend gave me a stack of magazines and this great design by Kathy Hamada stood out on the cover of the Spring/Summer 2014 Better Homes and Gardens Quilt Sampler. Her design is called Log Cabin Beads.
It has a great self-border with the half circles on the sides. And the staggered beads are striking.
Kathy's quilt is multi-colored. I made it in red scraps and Kona Snow for the white
  

It has been a while since I've made a log cabin, and there is a wonderful mindless sewing aspect that can be just what I want when the news is troubling.
I usually have another active project going into the machine while I piece log cabin blocks to take breaks from the logs.

Some log cabin hints:
-I have twisted seams where necessary to nest seams. I am fine with this.
-Match up top and bottom of strip to the block. I usually piece with the block on top of the strip.
If the strip is a bit longer for a block, it eases in if you put into machine with the strip below--remember the classic "baggy bottom" machine sewing advice in easing fabrics while piecing.
-Inspect the back of each seam when you cut blocks apart at each stage. The mindless sewing sometimes lends itself to wandering a bit and I find the occasional need for re-sewing as the seam allowance drifts off too much on the back.
-Rarely will the rounds be perfect. I can live with things being off a bit and the blocks still sew together fine
-Sewing into 12 rows and onto a mother-ship can cause stress on the seams. Also, long seams irritate me.
Instead I sew into sub-units, then rows. This leaves just two long seams for the top.

I love this quilt.