I am making a Log Cabin quilt, finally

Two weeks ago I cut this pile into strips for a log cabin quilt.  I have had this fabric for a few years, and have wanted to make a traditional quilt pattern using it.  My aunt Barbara made a log cabin quilt about 8 years ago that I fell in love with, Matt gave me a log cabin quilt book for my birthday a few years ago, and my neighbor Debbie and her daughter Kami made a log cabin quilt last winter.  I decided it was my turn, plus, it's another quilt to add to my civil war living history basket of tricks!

I used this fabric, plus a jelly roll, to make 110 of these log cabin blocks that are 10 inches square.  I finished the blocks over the weekend.

Now, comes the fun part.  The setting.  There are so many ways to set log cabin blocks for different looks.  I have it narrowed down to three variations that I want to make -  Streak of Lightning, Barn Raising, or Straight Furrows.

This log cabin quilt was made in the 1870s, from silk by Sophronia Ellen Turnbow Carter.  She was born in Alabama, but came to Utah as a Mormon pioneer.  I apologize for the bad photo, but I took a picture of it out of my book Quilts & Women of the Mormon Migrations.  It isn't one of the settings I am choosing from, but it is gorgeous.

This is a Streak of Lightning setting, maker unknown, 1865-1885, in probably Jackson County, Missouri.  I love this quilt.

This is a Barn Raising setting with lights in the middle, made from 1880-1910 with wools in the United States. I love this one as well, its a traditional setting for log cabin quilts.

This is another Barn Raising setting, but with the darks in the center.  The maker is unknown but probably from New Jersey.  The time frame on this one is 1910-1930 and is made of wools. 

 

This is the Straight Furrows setting.  This beauty was made in 1878 by Clarinda Bush Graham of Lyons, Iowa. Love love love!

So friends, if you feel inclined to help me with my setting decision, let me know which one you like the most.  Streak of Lightning, Barn Raising, or Straight Furrows.  Oh the decisions! Oh, and it may not be obvious to the non-quilter, but my log cabin quilts have fewer logs in them.  They were amazing ladies who made these quilts - so many logs in each block, and they were sometimes only 1/2" wide!