Pinwheel Quilt Block Pattern

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Sewing a pinwheel quilt block is a fun and easy project that can add a lot of visual interest to your quilt. Here are the steps to sew a basic pinwheel quilt block:

1. Cut your fabric: You will need four squares of fabric for each pinwheel block, two of each color. The size of your squares will depend on the finished size of your block. For example, if you want a 6-inch finished block, cut four 7-inch squares (to allow for seam allowances).

2. Mark your squares: Take two of your squares and mark a diagonal line from one corner to the opposite corner on the wrong side of each square.

3. Sew your squares together: Place two of your squares right sides together, with the marked lines matching. Sew a quarter-inch seam on each side of the marked line.

4. Cut your squares apart: Cut along the marked line to separate the two sewn squares. Press your seams open.

5. Repeat with the other two squares: Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the other two squares of fabric.

6. Arrange your squares: You should now have four half-square triangles. Arrange them so that the same colors are touching each other in the center and the opposite colors are touching on the outside edges.

7. Sew your squares together: Sew the two halves of your block together, taking care to match the seams in the center. Press your seams open.

8. Trim your block: Trim your block to the desired size, taking care to keep the center seams straight.

Congratulations, you have sewn a pinwheel quilt block! Repeat these steps to make as many blocks as you need for your quilt.

This is a great technique for making half square triangles that eliminates the need to directly manipulate the stretchy bias of the triangle. It utilizes two easy to cut squares producing two half square triangles.

 

On the back of the lighter fabric, draw a pencil line, diagonally from corner to corner.

 

Stack a pair of light and dark squares, right sides together. Sew a 1/4 inch seam allowance on each side of the line.

You will end up with something like this.

Now cut along the diagonal line.

 

Press the seam together to set the seam. Then press towards the darkest fabric.

To trim the block to the exact size line up the diagonal 45°angle with the ruler on your seam.

And then carefully trim your block with a rotary cutter.

 

Sew the squares together.

Mark the wrong side of the unit with a pencil line aligning the corners of the squares and the intersection of the seams.

Line up the corner of the square or triangle you will add to the corner of the unit:

Sew a seam one thread's width from the marked / ironed line. This tiny allowance makes room for the fold of the fabric so that the point isn't cut off the triangle.

Then fold the triangle into position, using the squares to assist alignment then press.

Trim away excess fabric to reduce bulk. Leaving a 1/4" seam, and trim the ears.

 

The secret to the nine patch is all about ironing seams so that they butt when they are joined.

Cut 5 A squares and 4 B squares in the required size.

Chain piecing, join a B square to only 3 of the A squares, right sides together, with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. No need to press just yet.

The result will be:

Next, take the remaining A and B squares and, chain piecing, join them to these units, right sides together, with a one 1/4 inch seam allowance:

 Your result will be:

 

To make this faster you can cut strips.

Cut A and B strips for the appropriate width, and join them into A/B/A and B/A/B units. Note you will need twice the length of B/A/B strips, as there are two of these units. Once your strips are joined, right sides together, with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Press every seam towards the dark fabric.

Cut across your pre-joined strips to create the units needed for the nine patch:

You will achieve the same result as above, but this method is faster.

 

To make a standard 9 patch, the width of the unit cut from pre-joined strips is the same as the width of the original strips.

Press all the seams to the dark fabric so that all the seems butt up.

Join the B/A/B units to your A/B/A units with butted seams, right sides together, with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

The direction of the final, central seam is optional. But guided by the placement of the block in the larger scheme, and wherever possible, iron to facilitate budding the seam joints.

Wider Application:

Just as the 4 patch, you can apply this methodology to all kinds of 9 patch blocks. As long as the patch has an underlying 3x3 grid, no matter how many pieces, the basic principle applies. It is repeated over and over, each 9 patch laying adjacent to the next 9 patch. As long as you keep pressing seams in pairs of opposite directions, piecing will be smooth sailing.

Try these out. Each block has an underlying 3x3 grid, and can be pieaced as a 9 patch.

Sometimes it is not obvious which direction is the dark with complicated blocks like those above. Just remember the basic ironing plan is:

How to Resize Quilt Blocks:

The first step in modifying any quilt block is to decide on the size of your finished quilt block. You can come to a decision based on a number of factors: doubling a pattern, cutting your pattern in half, or choosing the size based on your available fabric.

NOTE: When working from a pattern’s cutting instructions, make sure you remove the seam allowance before doubling or tripling the size. For instance, if your pattern calls for 3-1/2″ squares, first you’ll subtract the sum of the seam allowances (1/2″), double the finished block size (from 3″ to 6″), and add the seam allowance back in (1/2″). So, when all is said and done, you will cut a 6-1/2″ piece of fabric.

Resizing Square Blocks:

Square blocks are the easiest to resize. Simply add to your finished block measurement. For example, if you’d like your finished block to be a 4″ square, you’ll need to cut a 4-1/2″ square of fabric.

Resizing Rectangular Blocks:

Similarly to the square, for rectangle blocks, you’ll add to the length and width measurements of your finished block. If you’re doubling block that measures 3″ x 4″ in your quilt, you’ll cut a 6-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ rectangle of fabric.

Resizing Half-Square Triangle Blocks:

When you want to change the size of a Half-Square Triangle block, add 7/8″ to the desired finished block size. To make a 4″ finished block, you’d cut 4-7/8″ squares.

Resizing Quarter Square Triangle:

Since there are two cut lines and two seam lines in a Quarter-Square Triangle block you’ll need to add 1-1/4″ to the desired finished block size. For a finished block that’s 4″, you’d cut your squares 5-1/4″.