Chimneys and Cornerstones Quilt Pattern

A Variation on a Log Cabin Quilt Block

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Chimneys and Cornerstones quilt designs are a variation on the Log Cabin quilt design.

One group of 'logs' has squares at each end to form a strong diagonal pattern through the block. There is a decided resemblance to the Irish Chain quilt pattern.

On this page you'll find:

My Favorite Quilt Design Software

All the free patterns and block/quilt illustrations on this site were created in either EQ7 or EQ8—my favorite quilt design software.

Electric Quilt 8 software available from AmazonClick here to purchase EQ8 from Amazon

This program makes it so easy to audition different colors and values with just a few mouse clicks.

Rotate and flip the blocks with another series of clicks.

I can't imagine going back to graph paper and colored pencils.

Or worse yet—simply keeping my fingers crossed. Fabric is much too expensive!

The box contains a software download license—License ID and Password—and a booklet to get you through installation and get you started. There is no disk as in the past. 

Download the software onto your computer from the EQ website using the ID and password as directed. At the time of download you can choose either PC or MAC. 

I LOVE Electric Quilt!

I hope you do to.

The Chimneys and Cornerstones Block

Grid: 9x9

Chimneys and Cornerstones quilt block drawingA line drawing...

A good choice for a confident beginner this block has no bias edges to contend with.

No special rulers or other quilting tools are needed.

The piecing order is similar to the Courthouse Steps quilt block pattern, where strips are added on two opposite sides and then the block is pressed. This is repeated for the remaining two sides to complete a 'round'.

Generally this makes for faster piecing, but with the addition of squares to the ends of one group of strips or logs, it takes a bit longer to piece than a traditional Log Cabin or Courthouse Steps pattern.

The extra squares make this pattern unsuitable for paper piecing.

Chimneys and Cornerstones with fabric...and with scrappy fabrics.

You can see that the center is really a nine patch quilt block surrounded by three additional 'rounds' of strips or 'logs'.

Our block is drawn on a 9x9 grid, but there is no reason why you couldn't increase or decrease the numbers of 'rounds' of strips as you need.

Chimneys and Cornerstones Layouts

All the quilts shown are the basic Chimneys and Cornerstones block from above—only the fabric placements have changed.

Underneath all the quilt pattern illustrations are the number of blocks in the rows and columns.

Chimneys and Cornerstones Quilt: Straight Rows

In this straight set, the blocks are all laid out in the same orientation.

Chimneys and Cornerstones Quilt - Layout 15x7

Same layout except each block has been rotated a quarter turn. Just a subtle difference from the first design.

Chimneys and Cornerstones Quilt - Layout 25x7

In this straight set, every other Chimneys and Cornerstones block is rotated a quarter turn creating a pattern that resembles a quilt made of Hour Glass or quarter square triangle blocks.

Chimneys and Cornerstones Quilt - Layout 35x7

In next setting, all the blocks are positioned in the same orientation. Then all those in Rows 2, 4 and 6 are rotated a quarter turn. This seems to resemble a Native American Indian blanket pattern.

Chimneys and Cornerstones Quilt - Layout 45x7

Chimneys and Cornerstones Quilt: Diagonal Rows

Our final example is set in an on-point or diagonal layout. Just like an on point Irish Chain quilt pattern, the resulting layout  looks like horizontal and vertical rows of squares forming 'chains' or a grid.

Chimneys and Cornerstones Quilt - Layout 5Diagonal Rows: 5x7

Now Make It Your Own!

Use these layouts as a springboard for your imagination!

Remember that for a Chimneys and Cornerstones to be effective you'll need good contrast between the quadrant fabrics—in our example block we've used green fabrics for one set and cream/white fabrics for the other set.

The 'chain' or squares added to the ends of the logs need to contrast as well. We've used red for the squares which is the complement of green...as far away from each other as two colors can be on the color wheel. That's high color contrast!

Enjoy designing and stitching YOUR Chimneys and Cornerstones quilt!


This article was printed from Generations-Quilt-Patterns.com

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