To celebrate, I wanted to share a new pattern extra that a few readers have asked about: making a Modern Crosses block with pre-cut jelly roll strips (which are 2.5″ wide) instead of the 2″ strips called for in the original pattern. I wanted to use my PMQG-mate Monica Solario-Snow‘s Happy Mochi Yum Yum fabric – she kindly gave me a jelly roll with all her beautiful prints last year.

So when I whipped up two jelly roll Modern Crosses blocks, they were perfect for making another one of the simple 12″-block patchwork kids’ tote bags I’ve been sewing for Craft Hope. Yay!

For each modified jelly roll Modern Crosses block, you’ll need:
Four 2.5″ square pieces of fabric A (solid or patterned fabric of your choice*)
One 29″ strip of 2.5″-wide contrast fabric, B, for the cross
One 44″ strip of 2.5″-wide fabric A (to match squares) for the surrounding background of the block

Chain-piece the same way as described in the book to create blocks that are approximately 12″ across instead of 9.75″/10″ like the originals. Arrange the cross blocks as shown in the book, or in the order you prefer, to form a quilt top. If you are making a smaller project like a pillow cover or tote, I outline-quilted my crosses and outer squares with a flannel backing, then sewed a button in the center of each cross – to finish as a tote, follow the instructions in the tutorial right over here!

*I have always used solid background and patterned cross fabrics in my blocks, but you can see some lovely, inspiring Modern Crosses that mix prints or reverse the solid/patterned arrangement to beautiful effect. I love this one from Jeni of In Color Order using vintage sheets! Thanks to everyone who’s added project photos to the Modern Log Cabin Quilting and Modern Crosses Get-Together pools – I love seeing them. Happy National Quilting Day, everyone!

Yellow and gray is one of my absolute favorite color combinations, and this Gray Cross Bag by Elizabeth Hartman is stunning.

I love the higher contrast piecing (mine used the right and wrong sides of a single dark-red corduroy for a more subtle effect) and the yellow and white handmade binding tape that edges the strap – she shared some fun details in her book review post. Just gorgeous all the way around.

Another beautiful gray and yellow project I fell in love with is this Sunshine on a Cloudy Day version of the Everything In One Place Zip Bag by Sara of rhymeswithsp00n. She stitched it all up on a Friday night and snapped this pretty photo in the morning!

My friend Kayte also made an EIOP Zip Bag from colorful scraps, which she included a few darling photos of in her book review post. I love how the colors pop while staying such good neighbors, and I thought that the striped-scrap zipper pull was the sweetest touch!

And chloeandme made two different log cabin bags in similar fabrics – a soft-sided Drawstring Bag with a yellow, pink and green color mix,

and a more structured one-block zip pouch in the traditional Sunshine and Shadow color mix in yellow and green, with pretty hand-quilting details!

Thanks so much to everyone who’s shared their great log cabin quilt and project photos – I would love to spotlight yours if you want to add any to the MLCQ flickr pool! Coming up, I’ll be posting a round-up of quilts and pillows people have made so please let me know if you have a new project I could include… that would be awesome.

Huge thank-you to everyone who’s been so supportive and complimentary of the book! I am so glad that people are enjoying it – and making things from it!!

PS: We’re in the middle of a big push for Quilts for Quake Survivors so we can donate our first round of quilts to Japan, and would love your help or your quilt blocks, tops or backs – we have two long-arm quilting bees coming up Thursday and Friday here in Portland! Details here. Thanks to everyone who has jumped in already, you’re the best!!