Quilt block · Pinwheels · Intermediate
Whirligig quilt block
Long parallelograms and half-square triangle units turning round a small pinwheel in the center.
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
12 triangles and 4 trapezoids
- B1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C2 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
- F2 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- E4 rectangles 2⅛″ × 1¼″then cut with template E
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 triangles and 4 parallelograms
- A4 parallelograms 1½″lay the ruler's 45° line on the strip's edge, trim the end, then cut every 1½″ along the edge
- D2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- F2 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 Whirligig’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
12 triangles and 4 trapezoids
- B1 square 5¾″cut twice on the diagonals
- C2 squares 4¼″cut once on the diagonal
- F2 squares 2″cut once on the diagonal
- E4 rectangles 2⅞″ × 1⅝″then cut with template E
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 triangles and 4 parallelograms
- A4 parallelograms 1⅞″lay the ruler's 45° line on the strip's edge, trim the end, then cut every 1⅞″ along the edge
- D2 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
- F2 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 Whirligig’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
12 triangles and 4 trapezoids
- B1 square 7¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C2 squares 5⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- F2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- E4 rectangles 3⅝″ × 2″then cut with template E
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 triangles and 4 parallelograms
- A4 parallelograms 2¼″lay the ruler's 45° line on the strip's edge, trim the end, then cut every 2¼″ along the edge
- D2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- F2 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 Whirligig’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 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background F triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a section, a Background E piece and a Dark F triangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background F triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections, 3½″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 3½″ (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 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background F triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a section, a Background E piece and a Dark F triangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background F triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections, 5″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 5″ (4½″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 5″ (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 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background F triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a section, a Background E piece and a Dark F triangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background F triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections, 6½″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 6½″ (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).
Blocks like it
John’s PinwheelFour-patch · Pinwheels
Paper PinwheelsFour-patch · Pinwheels
Betty’s DelightFour-patch · Pinwheels
Spinning Four PatchFour-patch · Pinwheels
More like this: Pinwheel quilt blocks · Four-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
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 8 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H), 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: 28 pieces in 6 different shapes and 13 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.