Quilt-as-You-Go-Then-Stop-for-a-Really-Long-Time-Then-Go-Then-Stop-Then-Finally-Finish

The pattern is a Log Cabin, Courthouse Steps variant; I think there is a name for the specific placement of the blocks, but I don't remember what it is.

I did it with the quilt-as-you-go method.  Traditionally, the pieces of a log cabin square are sewn onto a foundation square of muslin* from the center out. In this case, the foundation was a square of batting on top of a square of backing; that way the seams that attached each piece also quilted the three layers together.  This construction technique is not necessarily faster, but it is easier if you aren't skilled at quilting lap-size or larger tops (which I most assuredly am not).

As usual, there were problems.  Over the years I've improved the accuracy of my quarter-inch seams, but using a walking foot and sewing through three layers made it trickier.  As a result, the first few squares came out too small, and I had to add these ridiculously narrow strips to get the squares to the right size:

For the rest of the squares I made the outer pieces extra wide so that I had room to trim the squares to the right size.

This block-placement also requires careful consideration of color, and while I did plan out the first two rows, I decided to wing it for the rest.  So of course I ran out of certain colors, and I had to change the placement of some of the rows, and the colors are not spaced exactly as I would have liked.

Can you tell which square I did first?

Usually I don't have to worry about matching thread to the backing until the end of the process.

I started this quilt long before we moved to this house, so I consider it a happy accident that the colors match my living room so well.


*I find it easier to just machine-piece the rectangles together without bothering with a foundation; that also makes it possible to quilt the final product, rather than tying it because of the extra layers of fabric.