Quarter Log Cabins: Free 3 Yard Quilt Pattern

Sew a fast and easy log cabin quilt with just three yards of fabric! This captivating throw quilt pattern is perfect for keeping for yourself or sharing with a friend.

The Quarter Log Cabins 3 Yard Quilt Pattern contains 20 quarter log cabin blocks. Each block is 10” x 10” wide after sewing. The finished size of this throw quilt is approximately 50” x 60”.

This blog post has been converted to an optional PDF that’s optimized for printing. Find it here. The free Log Cabin Quarters 3 Yard Quilt Pattern is included in the blog post below and is totally free to read, print, and sew! Just hit CTRL +P on your computer to print. The Optimized for Printing PDF download for $3 is totally optional. Did you know you can get ALL the Optimized for Printing PDF files organized in a library for you to access anytime you want? Check it out.

What size quilt does this free pattern make?

Most 3-yard quilts are not very large because they don’t use a lot of fabric. This log cabin quilt pattern makes a darling throw quilt that is 50” x 60”. Three yards will be enough fabric for the quilt top. You’ll need more fabric for the quilt binding and backing.

As you may have guessed, the quarter log cabin quilt block is a log cabin variation. This variation moves the center square of a log cabin block to one corner. It is still pieced very much like a log cabin block.

How to Choose the Right 3 Yards of Fabric for this Quilt

All my 3 Yard Quilt Patterns make it easy to pick your fabric. First, find a beautiful ‘focus fabric’ in your stash or local quilt shop. This should be a fabric that sings to you – or that makes you think of the intended recipient of the quilt.

My focus fabric is the sweet floral print from Tilda’s Jubilee Collection. It has a light background but still contrasts fairly well with the light background that I chose.

After you have chosen your focus fabric, choose a coordinating fabric and a background fabric. The focus fabric must contrast well with the other two fabrics. My darker coordinating fabric is Jubilee Red Circus Life from the same collection. I’m giving this quilt to a baby who’s not a newborn anymore, so I think the circus theme is perfect.

If you follow these instructions for choosing your fabrics, you can’t go wrong, and you probably already have the right 3 yards of fabric in your stash to make a beautiful quilt.

You can interchange your focus fabric and coordinating fabric for a different look or turn the blocks around. You can have so much fun with this quilt pattern!

Quarter Log Cabins Free Three Yard Quilt Pattern

This free quilt pattern includes instructions for a 10” x 10” (finished) Quarter Log Cabin block. This quilt has 20 easy quilt blocks, which is why it is so quick to sew!

The finished throw quilt is approximately 50” x 60”. It’s perfect for snuggling on the couch, hanging on the wall, or making it into a sweet baby quilt.

You will need:

• 3 one-yard cuts of fabric (a main focus fabric, one coordinating fabric, and one background fabric)
• a rotary cutter, acrylic ruler, and cutting mat
• sewing machine
• thread (I suggest thread matching the lighter fabric)
• ironing board and iron

To sew the quilt top into a finished quilt, you will also need:

• 3 1/8 yards of backing fabric (or enough to piece together a 55” x 65” or larger quilt back)
• a piece of quilt batting at least 55” x 65”
• 1/2 yard of fabric for the binding

Cutting:

Important note: These cutting layouts show how you must unfold each yard of fabric completely and begin cutting from the left side of your fabric. For Fabrics A and B, cut the border strips first, and then section out rows to cut your log cabin strips. For Fabric C (background fabric), cut the inner border strips, then the 2 1/2” x 4 1/2” log cabin strips, and then section out rows to cut the rest of the log cabin strips.

Fabric A is your focus fabric. From this fabric, cut:

• 6 vertical strips 2 1/2” x 36” for the middle border
• 10 squares 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”
• 10 rectangles 2 1/2” x 4 1/2”
• 10 rectangles 2 1/2” x 6 1/2”
• 10 rectangles 2 1/2” x 8 1/2”
• 10 rectangles 2 1/2” x 10 1/2”

Fabric B is the coordinating fabric. From this fabric, cut:

• 6 vertical strips 2 1/2” x 36” for the outer border
• 10 squares 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”
• 10 rectangles 2 1/2” x 4 1/2”
• 10 rectangles 2 1/2” x 6 1/2”
• 10 rectangles 2 1/2” x 8 1/2”
• 10 rectangles 2 1/2” x 10 1/2”

Fabric C is the background fabric. From this fabric, cut:

• 6 vertical strips 1 1/2” x 36” for the inner border
• 20 rectangles 2 1/2” x 4 1/2”
• 20 squares 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”
• 20 rectangles 2 1/2” x 6 1/2”
• 20 rectangles 2 1/2” x 8 1/2”

Quilt Piecing

Use a 1/4’’ seam allowance and a regular stitch length such as 2 – 2.5.

How to Sew the Quarter Log Cabin Blocks

For clarity, the block-building diagrams show fabrics B and C.

1. Sew a 2 1/2” Fabric C square to the top edge of a 2 1/2” Fabric B square.

2. Sew a 2 1/2” x 4 1/2” Fabric C rectangle to the left side of the block.

3. Sew a 2 1/2” x 4 1/2” Fabric B rectangle to the top edge of the block.

4. Sew a 2 1/2” x 6 1/2” Fabric B rectangle to the left side of the block.

5. Sew a 2 1/2” x 6 1/2” Fabric C rectangle to the top edge of the block.

6. Sew a 2 1/2” x 8 1/2” Fabric C rectangle to the left side of the block.

7. Sew a 2 1/2” x 8 1/2” Fabric B rectangle to the top edge of the block.

8. Sew a 2 1/2” x 10 1/2” Fabric B rectangle to the left side of the block.

Repeat to make 10 quarter log cabin blocks using Fabrics B and C. These will be referred to as ‘B Blocks.’

Then, make 10 quarter log cabin blocks using Fabrics A and C. These will be referred to as ‘A Blocks.’

Assemble the Quarter Log Cabins 3 Yard Quilt

1. Sew 2 A Blocks and 2 B Blocks in a row, alternating the blocks as shown.

Make 3 rows that have the block order: A-B-A-B.

2. Sew 2 B Blocks and 2 A Blocks in a row, alternating the blocks as shown.

Make 2 rows that have the block order: B-A-B-A.

3. Sew the five rows together in an alternating pattern.

Make and Sew the Quilt Borders

1. Piece together the six 1 1/2” x 36” Fabric C inner border strips to make one long strip. Press the seams open. Cut the inner border pieces from this long strip.

2. The expected length of the side inner border pieces is 50 1/2”. I highly recommend measuring the quilt top and cutting all border pieces to the correct size. See how to cut the correct size quilt borders. Measure your quilt and cut two strips for the side border pieces. Attach the side inner border pieces.

3. The expected length of the top and bottom inner border pieces is 42 1/2”. Measure your quilt and cut 2 strips for the top and bottom inner border. Attach the top and bottom inner border pieces.

4. Piece together the six 2 1/2” x 36” Fabric A middle border strips to make one long strip. Press the seams open. Cut the middle border pieces from this long strip.

5. The expected length of the middle border side pieces is 52 1/2”. Measure your quilt top, including the inner border, and cut strips to the required length. Attach the side middle border pieces.

6. The expected length of the top and bottom outer border pieces is 46 1/2”. Measure your quilt and cut 2 strips for the top and bottom middle border. Attach the top and bottom middle border pieces.

7. Piece together the six 2 1/2” x 36” Fabric B middle border strips to make one long strip. Press the seams open. Cut the outer border pieces from this long strip.

8. The expected length of the outer border side pieces is 56 1/2”. Measure your quilt top, including the first two borders, and cut strips to the required length. Attach the side outer border pieces.

9. The expected length of the top and bottom outer border pieces is 50 1/2”. Measure your quilt and cut 2 strips for the top and bottom outer border. Attach the top and bottom outer border pieces.

Finishing the Quarter Log Cabins Three-Yard Quilt Pattern

1. Cut or piece together a 55” x 65” piece of quilt backing fabric and make a quilt sandwich with the backing, batting, and top.

2. Baste together with fusible batting, pins or basting spray.

3. Quilt as desired. Straight line quilting or cross hatch quilting with your walking foot would be fast and easy. Trim away the extra batting and backing.

4. Depending on your fabric width, You will need 5 or 6 strips of fabric for the binding. Cut 2 1/2” tall (or desired height) binding strips. Sew the binding strips together and bind using your favorite method. This is my favorite quilt binding method.

xoxo,