Thanks everyone for the compliments on the quilt and my girls. They are only 2 of the 5 I have and keep me busy! Sally, the snowman quilt is a christmas tree skirt I designed and made for my sister. Thanks again Vicky for posting my pic. I messed up both of my post and you saved the day! Stephanie

That is just gorgeous! Simply gorgeous! Can you strip piece it? I can see that you're working with many widths of strips but I always found log cabins particularly easy because of the strip piecing. I also set up a palate of sorts with a piece of foam core and bulldog clips when I'm working with different colors and widths of strip. Helps me keep things straight in my head and prevents mistakes. This pic isn't labeled but I use tiny Post-It notes to identify the width or pattern code. In any case, you're doing beautiful work so ignore me at will. ;>

Very nice. I am very fond of the log cabin pattern as well and you interpreted it so nicely. Your choice of iris fabric was perfect and cabins colors works so well together. Your SIL is very lucky even if her birthday is just before Christmas.LOL> I agree that is is difficult to have quilting turn out that well with a pieced backing but yours works wonderfully. TFS. Jayne

Karen, I think the key to decorating a log cabin is to 'break up" the expanses of wood and mortar, without trying to hide it, per say. That is, find spots where it should stand boldly from floor to ceiling, and spots were it may not be seen very much. The strong horizontal lines beg for a balance by way of vertical lines, you don't need to crowd the room with vertical, but a few key pieces to break up and accent the horizontal logs. To bring in more verticals, you may try: 1 Hang curtain rods higher than the window and allow the curtains to go to the floor. 2. keep an eye out for tall cased furniture, but not bookcases, per say (also horizontal lines), maybe a hutch with solid doors above that you can paint. A tall, and narrow bookcase with widely spaced shelves, the type that might be a pantry or linen cupboard, will have a vertical emphasized, and more so depending on the items you place into it. I recently saw a shelving unit with a collection of quilts and vintage textiles that were rolled and stacked like logs and packed into deep shelves -with just the colorful round ends showing, it was like Amish abstract art. 3. if you are using patterned upholstery or linens, consider running the stripe or pattern in a vertical, ie, from headboard to footboard, or the opposite direction of the logs depending on where the bed or couch sits. Also, if you use patterned textiles, you might try to avoid stripes in the bedding and upholstery, and go for an all over pattern, quilt block, or patten repeat that doesn't have a strong direction. 4. hang small matching art in a vertical line, or clusters. To break up the room: 1. taking up from no 4 above, instead of spotting small wall art here and there at the same eye level, try massing it in a cluster, this will create a visual break, even though you see the logs behind. 2. Consider a large work of art (doesn't have to be vertical, can be horizontal) and also look for wall art with very wide mats, to give the actual artwork some visual 'elbow room' from the log 'wall paper'. 3. I think that oak and leather tends to have the same texture and color as the logs, and if you want a room that is sedate, bland or some pieces to blend in, then that's the way to go, but you should still consider textiles, even smooth linen, and the large hanging rug or weaving is a great textural accent to the logs (which beg to be softened), but it doesn't have to be a Navaho inspired blanket, there are many beautiful flat-weave rugs out there (Kilim Rugs) or even those Sari Quilts (Key words: Kantha, Gudari, Dupatta, Phulkari) for a modern and casual or boho feel. 4. Another accent to consider is shiny objects. I think first of antique brass, because the warmth of the color complements the wood, but colorful glass vases or bottles near a widow that sparkle, will give you another layer of texture. A mirror will do the same, it doesn't have to reflect anything, just shine and look pretty. This post was edited by Lilylore on Sun, Nov 23, 14 at 3:19