Log Cabin Needlepoint Stitch Sampler Free Pattern

The Log Cabin Needlepoint Stitch Sampler packs lots of texture and unusual stitches into an 8″ square pillow.

Some of the stitches are common, but others are rarely seen these days.

The sampler will appear every Tuesday over the next several weeks. One area of the sampler will be presented each week, so that you have plenty of time to stitch the area before the next week.

Today we’ll go over the materials needed and how to set up the sampler.

Materials

12″ square of 14-mesh mono needlepoint canvas
1 spool Medium (#16) Kreinik metallic braid in metal color of your choice (gold, silver, copper)
1 skein each #3 pearl cotton, 6 shades in two color families, ranging in value from light to dark

The model was stitched in #3 pearl, but there is no reason why you couldn’t use another thread. Because there are stitches from several stitch families, a stranded thread would give you more options for coverage.

Typically log cabin blocks use two colors and shade them from light to dark. There is no reason why you need to follow this color scheme, look on the Internet to find different color arrangements in Log Cabin quilts, or just design your own.

Preparing the Canvas

In log cabin quilt patterns one set of logs is longer than the other. In this sampler two color families have been selected for the logs. You will now need to choose one of them to be the major color and one to be the minor. The major color (pink in my case) will be worked in the longer logs. The minor color will be worked on the shorter logs in each round.

For the sampler we’ll stitch the corner block first, then each of the short logs from light to dark. Then the longer logs will be stitched, also from light to dark.

Stitching the Outline

The sampler will be easiest to stitch if you outline the corner square and all the rectangular areas before filling them in. Use your metallic thread to do this.

Begin in one corner of the project about 2″ from the corner of the canvas. Starting at the corner, make a line of stitches in two directions, 28 stitches long. Complete this square. This is the corner square.

The logs are different lengths, but are all the same width, 13 threads.
Make the first log by extending one side of your corner 14 stitches. At the 14th stitch turn the corner. For the first, white, log, this side will be 28 stitches (including the stitches you have made so far) or the same with as the corner square.

To make the shortest pink log, extend the other side of the corner 14 stitches and turn the corner. Stitch the new side to end even with the outside edge of the white block. Turn the corner and stitch the outline to meet the earlier block.

In stitching the pink block, you have also completed the top edge of the next block.

Continue in this way way, creating the outline for the sampler is to outline in rounds. Outline the shorter log in each round (blue logs) first. The length of the longer log is the length of all the blue logs so far. Extend the outside edge for the new log, turn the corner to stitch the second long side, turn the corner and complete.

There are six logs on each side.

Follow the Series On-line!

• Corner Block
• Genny’s Scotch
• Double Brick & Straight Milanese
• Scottish Checker
• Point de Tresse
• Giant Elongated Diagonal Cashmere
• Laidwork (Junipero)
• Montmartre Stitch
• Double Smnyrna Cross Block
• Ming Stitch
• Patterned Threes
• Diagonal Shingle

Come back next Tuesday for another section of the sampler!