Broken Log Cabins

Inspired by "Anchors Away" from quilt collector Susan Price Miller

Quiltmaker: Laura Boehnke

• 1/4 yard cream print (blocks)
• 1/8 yard brown floral (blocks)
• 1/8 yard each blue, yellow, and green prints (blocks)
• 1/4 yard each red and brown prints (blocks)
• 5/8 yard cream floral (setting squares and triangles)
• 1/4 yard multicolor stripe (inner border)
• 1-1/3 yards red floral (outer border, binding)
• 3 yards backing fabric
• 52" square batting

Finished quilt: 45-1/2"

Finished block: 12" square

Quantities are for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics. Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order. Cut outer border and binding strips lengthwise (parallel to the selvages).

From cream print, cut:

• 16--2x5-3/4" sashing strips
• 16--2" squares

From brown floral, cut:

• 4--4" squares
• 4--2" sashing squares

From blue print, cut:

• 16--1-1/4x4-3/4" strips

From yellow print, cut:

• 16--1-1/4x6-1/4" strips

From green print, cut: 

• 16--1-1/4x7-3/4" strips

From red print, cut:

• 16--1-1/4x9-1/4" strips

From brown print, cut: 

• 16--1-1/4x10-3/4" strips

From cream floral, cut: 

• 1--18-1/4" square, cutting it diagonally twice in an X for 4 setting triangles total
• 1--12-1/2" setting square
• 2--9-3/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for four corner triangles total

From multicolor stripe, cut: 

• 2--1-3/4x37" inner border strips
• 2--1-3/4x34-1/2" inner border strips

From red floral, cut: 

• 2--4-3/4x45-1/2" outer border strips
• 2--4-3/4x37" outer border strips
• 5--2-1/2x42" binding strips

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each cream print 2" square.

2. Align a marked cream print square with one corner of a brown floral 4" square and sew on marked line (Diagram 1). Trim excess, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance. Press seam toward cream print triangle.

3. Repeat Step 2 to add cream print squares to remaining corners of brown floral square to make a center unit. The center unit should be 4" square including seam allowances.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make four center units total.

1. Referring to Diagram 2, position a blue print 1-1/4x4-3/4" strip along top edge of a center unit, aligning right-hand edges. Beginning 1" from left-hand edge of center unit, sew together pieces. Finger-press seam away from center unit.

2. Sew a second blue print 1-1/4x4-3/4" strip to right-hand edge of center unit and a third blue print 1-1/4x4-3/4" strip to bottom edge of center unit (Diagram 3). Press all seams away from center unit.

3. Add a fourth blue print 1-1/4x4-3/4" strip to left-hand edge of center unit and press as before. Sew remaining portion of the first seam (Diagram 4). Press seam toward first blue print strip. The center unit now should be 5-1/2" square including seam allowances.

4. Referring to steps 1–4 and Diagram 5, add yellow print 1-1/4x6-1/4" strips, green print 1-1/4x7-3/4" strips, red print 1-1/4x9-1/4" strips, and brown print 1-1/4x10-3/4" strips to center unit to make a Log Cabin unit. The Log Cabin unit should be 11-1/2" square including seam allowances.

5. Cut Log Cabin unit in half horizontally and vertically to make four block units (Diagram 6). Each block unit should be 5-3/4" square including seam allowances.

6. Referring to Diagram 7, lay out four block units, four cream print 2x5-3/4" sashing strips, and one brown floral 2" sashing square in rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward sashing strips. Join rows to make a block. Press seams toward cream print sashing strips. The block should be 12-1/2" square including seam allowances.

7. Repeat steps 1–6 to make four blocks total.

1. Lay out blocks and cream floral setting square and setting triangles in diagonal rows (Quilt Assembly Diagram).

2. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward setting squares and triangles. Join rows. Press seams in one direction.

3. Add cream floral corner triangles to make quilt center. Press seams toward corner triangles. The quilt center should be 34-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew short multicolor stripe inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long multicolor stripe inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border.

2. Sew short red floral outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt. Add long red floral outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward outer border.

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste. Quilt as desired.

2. Bind with red floral binding strips.