Log Cabin Hot Pad pattern

Season your kitchen with just a dash of Americana! Measuring just seven and a half inches square, each hotpad features the log cabin pattern. While one thickness makes a delightful table protector, a double-thick version is ideal for heavy-duty use in the kitchen.

Needing only smidgeons of many colors, your scrap basket becomes your palette for this traditional design. To plan your color scheme, pull scraps of four-ply cotton yarn from your stash and divide into three piles: light colors, dark colors, reds or bright pink. Select red or bright pink for the core as this represents the hearth, the center of the home. Then alternate two dark colors and two light colors around the hearth. Consider when planning that the closer the log is to the center, the less yarn is needed. Lastly, pick a complimentary border color.

Although both variations of the log cabin pattern are made using the same method, the width of the logs will impact the pattern and number of colors used. The hearth is centered when the logs are equally wide and askew when the log width varies. Fewer colors are needed when the logs are relatively wide.

Follow the basic pattern to learn the technique, then have fun creating your own log cabin variations!