Linkin’ Logs by Ruth Wasmuth of QM’s Scrap Squad

If you’re new to Quilty Pleasures, welcome! I’m so glad you’re here.

Quiltmaker‘s Scrap Squad is eight select readers who each make a scrappy version of one pattern from each regular issue of Quiltmaker. The featured quilt in the Sept/Oct issue is Linkin’ Logs, designed by QM Editor-in-Chief June Dudley.

Here is the original quilt as it appeared in QM.

Linkin' Logs as featured in Sept/Oct Quiltmaker, designed by June Dudley, made by June Dudley and Kim Waite

Today’s scrappy version is by Ruth Wasmuth from Lafayette, Indiana. Ruth’s quilt has quite a story—I hope you’ll enjoy it:

My version of Linkin’ Logs started with these gold prints.

I decided that with all these different fabrics, I might have a hard time keeping them straight to make 12 Block Z’s. I devised a plan using a snowball block and a block that starts with a partial seam.

I played around with Electric Quilt and came up with this grid/guide. I used five different blacks as backgrounds and 31 golds for the logs.

I cut a small piece of each gold fabric and glued it to my guide. I also numbered each block on my guide and each actual block as I made it.

I cut one 2.5″ strip of each gold and subcut that into four 6.5″ rectangles and four 2.5″ squares for the inside links. The outside links use two 8.5″ and two 6.5″ rectangles and four 2.5″ squares.

Unlike the original pattern, I chose to complete my outside links.

I love the diagonal corners and think it will go great on a future Purdue University student’s dorm bed.

I quilted it with black thread and Fay Feathers pantograph, and used a black Hobbs 80/20 batting.

Now, for the rest of the story…..
Here’s my first one.

I got it mostly put together and wasn’t happy with the lack of contrast in the gold fabrics. So, I cut another strip of each gold and added a couple of lighter ones and started over.

 

Ruthie's finished Linkin' Logs quilt

On this one, I cut off each link at the seam before the break in the link. I plan to quilt it and gift it to another Boilermaker fan. It will be just the right size to cover up at a football game.

What a fabulous quilt! Do you know what makes it work? Come back later this week for color lessons from this quilt! I hope you’ll join us.

Visit Ruth’s quilt blog.