Quilt block · Pinwheels · Intermediate

Follow the Leader quilt block

Long triangles chase each other round a dark center square, between corner units of squares and half-square triangles.

FamilyFive-patch

Grid5 × 5

Units4 half-square triangles, 8 half-square triangles

Pieces37

Design with Follow the Leader Cutting at 6″, 9″, 12″

What to cut for one block

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

16 triangles

C4 rectangles 5⅜″ × 3″then cut with template C
B12 squares 3″then cut with template B

¼ yd

Dark · Navy in the picture

5 squares and 8 triangles

A5 squares 3″then cut with template A
B8 squares 3″then cut with template B

¼ yd

Medium · Denim in the picture

8 triangles

C4 rectangles 5⅜″ × 3″then cut with template C
B4 squares 3″then cut with template B

¼ yd

Between the lines. Follow the Leader cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″. At 12″ its half-square triangles' short sides are 2²⁄₅″, so they need templates.

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.

Make 4 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew a Dark A piece and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew a half-square triangle unit and a Dark A piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Sew the units and pieces into 3 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 3 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 3 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.

Make 4 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew a Dark A piece and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew a half-square triangle unit and a Dark A piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Sew the units and pieces into 3 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 3 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 3 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.

Make 4 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew a Dark A piece and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew a half-square triangle unit and a Dark A piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 2 sections
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
Sew the units and pieces into 3 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 3 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 3 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).

Blocks like it

More like this: Pinwheel quilt blocks · Five-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks

Questions

Short answers.

Something else? A real person replies.

hello@quarterinch.app

What size should I make it?

On its 5 × 5 grid, 6″, 9″ and 12″ put some pieces between the ⅛″ marks, so they need templates. It cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″.

Can I paper piece it?

Yes. It splits into 9 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I), 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 intermediate block: 37 pieces in 3 different shapes and 8 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.