Log Cabin - Free How-to Recipe!

Finished measurement: About a 5-inch square 

Yarn: Home Worsted Weight 

Needles: US size 7 - straight or circular needles used to work back and forth.

Gauge: 5 stitches per inch 

Center Square:

Using the long-tail cast-on method, cast on 12 stitches. Working back and forth in garter stitch, knit every row) until you’ve completed 24 rows. 

When looking at the right side of the square, the cast on tail will be on the right lower corner, you will have 12 garter ridges. Each garter ridge is 2 rows. 

Bind off. Cut the yarn leaving a 6-inch end.

Always leave about a 6-inch end throughout or a little longer if you are going to stitch the square into a blanket.

I used the “weave in as you go” technique as much as possible. Below is a brief video about how to weave in the ends as you go. 

When you are picking up and knitting along a garter edge, you pick up and knit 1 stitch in each garter ridge. I made a brief video on picking up stitches on a garter edge below. 

When you are pick up and knitting along the cast on or bound off edge, you pick up 1 stitch in each of either the cast on or bound off stitches. 

Section 1:

With the right side facing you and a new color yarn, pick up and knit 12 stitches across the cast on edge.

Knit 12 rows. You will have 6 garter ridges.

Bind off. Cut the yarn.

Section 2: 

With the right side facing and starting at the top left corner and going down the side, with a new color yarn, pick up and knit 18 stitches.

Knit 12 rows. You will have 6 garter ridges.

Bind off. Cut the yarn.

Section 3: 

Section 3 in the Field colorway (mustard) in the photo. 

Turn the piece to work down the next edge, and working in the same way with a new color yarn, pick up and knit 18 stitches. 

Knit 12 rows. You will have 6 garter ridges.

Bind off. Cut the yarn.

Section 4:

Turn the piece to work down the last edge. Working in the same way with a new color yarn, pick up and knit 24 stitches. 

Knit 12 rows. You will have 6 garter ridges.

Bind off. Cut the yarn.

Finishing:

If you didn’t weave in the ends as you went along, weave in the ends to the wrong side and trim. 

If you are sewing your square into a blanket use the ends to sew together with a yarn needle. I used a whipstitch to attach my squares.

Block by soaking in cold water with a wool wash. Lay flat to dry to desired measurement.

For a coaster, cut a piece of wool felt to match the square. Stitch the felt to the square around the edges with a whipstitch and a sewing needle and thread.