Quilting stitch patterns for a log cabin

The quilt top is finished and pressed.  Yesterday, the backing fabric was purchased from a local quilt store.  The fabric is extra wide, so there will be no seams on the back.  It was not cheap, but I liked the idea that I was supporting a local store.  I don't mind spending a little more every once in a while.

Now onto the next step, there are a number of ways log cabins can be quilted.  Stitch in the ditch, seems to be the classic way, but I've seen some really lovely alternative patterns.  This will probably be stitch in the ditch in the end, because it's for my brother and there's a surprise on the back that I will have to take into consideration.  It could be a design element, or just a label, we shall see.


This image is from the Missouri Quilt Co, it's the River Log Cabin Quilt
It's an allover wandering circular design.

Image if from Kaffe Fassett, Badge of Honor Quilt
A really interesting log cabin type pattern from Quilts in America, I think stitch in the ditch turned on it's head.

Here is an image from Thingery (it looks like a defunct blog)
Hand tied quilt

Antique Log Cabin Quilt
Hand pieced by unknown quilter
Hand quilted by Martha Dellasega Gray, 2015
This has a concentric circles in the dark and light areas, I would not want to have to tie off all of those circles. Yikes!!

And the classic, stitch in the ditch
from Amish Country Quilts

There are also some examples that use feathers, which make the pattern less prominent.  It's amazing the number of variations, but we will stick with something more linear for this quilt.  It's a gift for an engineer and he might short circuit with curls, spirals or feathers...


I made the mistake, of prewashing the backing.  All of the material in the quilt had been prewashed and thrown in the dryer.  This is the first time I've done this.  It has complicated organizing the stash because there is now prewashed and unwashed material.  argh. Well, I fell asleep while it was in the dryer and this puppy is crunchy.  I've starched it, steamed it and I can still make out wrinkles.  Here's to hoping they disappear during the quilting process, and it hasn't shrunk so much I've lost my 4" border.