Pinwheel Quilt Block Tutorial

Having the attention span of a goldfish, I’ve never actually made a quilt. My plan is to one day make quilts for my boys, but it’s a big project and I have a habit of not finishing things if they take a long time. Which a quilt probably would.

Thankfully beautiful quilt blocks don’t have to be restricted to quilts! I recently came across this beautiful cushion made by Chrissie. You can read about it here!

As the pinwheel quilt block is my current favourite, here is a little tutorial showing you how to make one! And if you really like it and you would like an extra tutorial for a project using a pinwheel quilt block, please subscribe to my blog and you will receive a tutorial for making a pinwheel purse and a crocheted purse pattern too!

A pinwheel quilt block is made up of right angled triangles. So as long as you can cut a square, you can make a pinwheel block!

You will need: cotton or polycotton fabric in 3 different colours, pencil, paper and ruler, usual sewing supplies.

1. Decide how big you would like your pinwheel block to be. Using a pencil and a ruler, draw a square that size.  Remember to include seam allowances! Divide it into quarters. Then divide each quarter square in half diagonally.Find the square on the top right. Divide the triangle in half diagonally. Turn the paper 90 degrees and repeat for the next square. Do this twice more. You should have four squares, each made up of three triangles.

2. Cut out one of the squares and cut into triangles.

3. Using the larger triangle as a template, cut 4 from Fabric 1. Then cut 4 smaller triangles from Fabric 2 and 4 from Fabric 3. Each quarter square will be made up of one of each.

4. Now for sewing it up! The easiest way I have found to do this is to tackle it a quarter at a time. So you will end up with four smaller squares that you then sew together.

Take 2 of the smaller triangles, one of each colour. Put them right sides together, with fabric 2 at the bottom and the right angle on the right. Pin and sew along the right hand edge. Press the seam open.

5. Take one of your larger triangles and put it with the triangle you made in the previous step, right sides together. The original larger triangle needs to be at the bottom and the right angle on the bottom right.

You will find that the larger triangle will be bigger than the two triangles joined together. That’s fine! Just pin them together so that the centres of the long edges are together. You can trim it down once you have sewn it.

Sew along the long edge. Trim and press the seam open.

This is now one quarter of you pinwheel block! Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the other triangles.

6. Take 2 of the sections and pin them, with right sides together. The bottom larger triangle on one section will need to be lined up with the triangle made form the second fabric on the other section. Press the seam.

9. Put your two bits right sides together, pin and sew along the long edge. Trim and press the seams and you’re all done!

If a full sized quilt is to large a project, you could try a purse! There’s a tutorial if you subscribe 🙂Or you could try:

pillow cases

cushions

a bag

a baby blanket

a table runner

table mats

detail on a pocket or on the edge of a little girl’s dress.

What projects have you made using quilt blocks?

Do Tell Tuesday

Tuesday Pintorials

Create, Link, Inspire