Quilt block · Pinwheels · Intermediate
Whirling Pinwheel quilt block
Flying geese turn round the center in pairs, a dark goose and a background goose in each quarter, framed by plain corner squares and side strips that end in half-square triangles.
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
4 corner squares, 4 rectangles, 4 geese and 16 small triangles
- A1 square 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D4 rectangles 2½″ × 1½″
- B4 squares 1½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 geese and 16 small triangles
- A1 square 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
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
4 corner squares, 4 rectangles, 4 geese and 16 small triangles
- A1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- D4 rectangles 3½″ × 2″
- B4 squares 2″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 geese and 16 small triangles
- A1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
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
4 corner squares, 4 rectangles, 4 geese and 16 small triangles
- A1 square 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D4 rectangles 4½″ × 2½″
- B4 squares 2½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 geese and 16 small triangles
- A1 square 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A4 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
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 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark C triangle to a Background C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1½″ (1″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Dark and Background
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 2½″ × 1½″ (2″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Background and Dark
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 2½″ × 1½″ (2″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 4½″ × 1½″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Background D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 4½″ × 1½″ (4″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2½″
Sew 2 flying geese units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 4½″ × 2½″
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 4½″ × 2½″ (4″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 4½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- 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 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark C triangle to a Background C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Dark and Background
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Background and Dark
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 6½″ × 2″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Background D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 6½″ × 2″ (6″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew 2 flying geese units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 6½″ × 3½″
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 6½″ × 3½″ (6″ × 3″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 6½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- 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 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark C triangle to a Background C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Dark and Background
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 4½″ × 2½″ (4″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 flying geese units: Background and Dark
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 4½″ × 2½″ (4″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 8½″ × 2½″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Background D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 8½″ × 2½″ (8″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 4½″
Sew 2 flying geese units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 8½″ × 4½″
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 8½″ × 4½″ (8″ × 4″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 8½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 8½″ (8″ finished).
- 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).
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Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 6 × 6 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 15″ 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 6 sections (A, B, C, D, E and F), 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: 48 pieces in 4 different shapes and 21 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.