Quilt block · Stars · Advanced
Firewheel quilt block
A dark wheel of squares and half-square triangles round a four-patch center, gold points flashing out between its spokes, inside a light border with a gold point in the middle of each side.
What to cut for one block
A 6″ finished block measures 6½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
8 border strips and 8 triangles
- B4 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 rectangles 3⅝″ × 1¼″then cut with template C
- A4 rectangles 2⅞″ × 1¼″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
16 squares and 20 triangles
- B10 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- D16 squares 1¼″
Medium · Denim in the picture
20 triangles
- B10 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Firewheel’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 9″ finished block measures 9½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
8 border strips and 8 triangles
- B4 squares 2″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 rectangles 5⅛″ × 1⅝″then cut with template C
- A4 rectangles 4″ × 1⅝″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
16 squares and 20 triangles
- B10 squares 2″cut once on the diagonal
- D16 squares 1⅝″
Medium · Denim in the picture
20 triangles
- B10 squares 2″cut once on the diagonal
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Firewheel’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 12″ finished block measures 12½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
8 border strips and 8 triangles
- B4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 rectangles 6⅝″ × 2″then cut with template C
- A4 rectangles 5⅛″ × 2″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
16 squares and 20 triangles
- B10 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- D16 squares 2″
Medium · Denim in the picture
20 triangles
- B10 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Firewheel’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
How it’s sewn
For the 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 1¼″ × 3½″ (¾″ × 3″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 2¾″ × 1¼″ (2¼″ × ¾″ finished).
- Make 12 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1¼″ (¾″ finished).
- Make 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1¼″ (¾″ finished).
- Make 8 sections, 2¾″ × 1¼″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Dark D square together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 2¾″ × 1¼″ (2¼″ × ¾″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2¾″ × 1¼″
Sew 2 Dark D squares and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 2¾″ × 1¼″ (2¼″ × ¾″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2¾″ × 3½″
Sew 4 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2¾″ × 3½″ (2¼″ × 3″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 1⅝″ × 5″ (1⅛″ × 4½″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 3⅞″ × 1⅝″ (3⅜″ × 1⅛″ finished).
- Make 12 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1⅝″ (1⅛″ finished).
- Make 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1⅝″ (1⅛″ finished).
- Make 8 sections, 3⅞″ × 1⅝″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Dark D square together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 3⅞″ × 1⅝″ (3⅜″ × 1⅛″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3⅞″ × 1⅝″
Sew 2 Dark D squares and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 3⅞″ × 1⅝″ (3⅜″ × 1⅛″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3⅞″ × 5″
Sew 4 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3⅞″ × 5″ (3⅜″ × 4½″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 2″ × 6½″ (1½″ × 6″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 5″ × 2″ (4½″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 12 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Make 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Make 8 sections, 5″ × 2″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Dark D square together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 5″ × 2″ (4½″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 5″ × 2″
Sew 2 Dark D squares and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 5″ × 2″ (4½″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 5″ × 6½″
Sew 4 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5″ × 6½″ (4½″ × 6″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
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Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 8 × 8 grid lands on the ⅛″ marks at 6″, 9″ and 12″, so every piece measures with a ruler at all three. It also cuts cleanly at 4″, 7″, 8″, 10″, 14″, 15″, 16″ and 18″. In Quarter Inch you can make it any size, and it says when a cut falls between the lines.
Can I paper piece it?
Yes. It splits into 10 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and J), each sewn on its own paper in order and then joined with straight seams. In Quarter Inch, the Foundations tab prints its papers at true size (with Quilter).
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s an advanced block: 72 pieces in 4 different shapes and 32 points to match. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.