By: Jo Ann Smith Strip pieceing for log cabin pattern Quilt Blocks NOTE: Use 1/4" seam allowance 15 stitches per inch These directions are for an entire quilt, so I'm gonna break it down to a crib size and you can at least get the idea from this. For a Baby or Crib quilt you will need 9 blocks: Cut or tear: (center square) One - 2-1/2" x 45" (first light) Two - 2-1/2" x 45 (second light) Four- 2-1/2" x 45" (third light) Six - 2-1/2" x45" (first dark) Three- 2-/1/2" x 45" (second dark) Five - 2-1/2" x 45" (third dark) Six - 2-1/2" x 45" For borders cut or tear: Six 3" x 45" of favorite color. Take the center color strip and first light strip. Lay right sides together with the first light on the botto. Seam the two strips together the whole length. Do *NOT* unfold. Mark and cut 2-1/2" squares. Stack in a pile with center color on top and wrong side showing. You should get about 18 squares from one strip. NOTE: Every color except center color is used twice in each block. New strip always goes down first with right side up. Add another strip of first light. Take a strip of first light color. Lay down on machine with right side up. Take the 2-1/2" squares, unfold and place, right side down on top of the strip. Begin stitching down the right edge. At seam finger press both raw edges upward. As you near the end of the block, pick up the second block and unfold as before. Butt the second block right behind the first block. Sew through as before. Continue in this order down the strip, butting and stitching until you have run out of the latest strip. Cut the waste off and start with another strip and block. Continue until you have the required number of blocks. Cut apart between blocks using rotary cutter or scissors. Lay the strip flat on the table, with the block side up. Smooth. Cut between them, stack, turn stack over so the strip you just added is on top. Remove any extra light color strip from the sewing area (to avoid confusion). Add first dark color. Take the first dark color strip, lay it down on the machine with the right side up. Take the partially completed block, unfold, lay it right side down on top of the strip. The last color you added on must be to the top and perpendicular to the strip. In this case it is the light color without the seam in it. Stitch down the length of the block, pressing the seam up and flat. Butt on the next block. You should be able to sew 10 or 11 blocks onto this strip. Cut and discard the unusable part of the strip as before. Cut apart between blocks. Stack and turn over. Continue until you have used all of your blocks. NOTE: The first seam is sewn up, the second down. Lay a first dark strip down with right side up. Lay one of the blocks down on top with right sides together. The last color added, in this case it was a first dark strip) must be on the top and perpendicular to the strip. Stitch down the length of the block, pushing the first seam up and flat, and the second seam down and flat. Butt on the next block. Continue stitching down the length of the strip, butting on the blocks and new strips as necessary until you have completed your total number of blocks. Remember to anticipate the ends of your strips. You should be able to sew about 7 blocks onto a strip with this step. Discard the few inches left at the bottom. Cut apart the block, stack and turn over. You will no longer need the first dark color, so remove it from the area to avoid confusion. The last color you added will be on the top and perpendicular to the new strip. Add a second light color strip by laying right side up on the sewing machine, stitch down the block, sewing the first seams up and the second seams down. You should be able to sew 7 blocks on each strip at this point. Cut off excess as before. At this point you should have as many blocks as your finished quilt should have, and the backs of those partially completed blocks should appear with the seams laying quite nicely. Repeat adding the second light color to all of your blocks as before. This step should yield 5 blocks per strip. Add two rows of the second dark color. Add two rows of the third light color. Add two rows of the third dark color. Work in a rotating motion. The light color line up beside the lights, the darks line up beside the other darks. Blocks are now completed.