- Background (muslin)
- Dark (indigo)
- Accent (madder red)
Block No. 14 · Flying geese
Dutchman's Puzzle Quilt Block
Also known as Wheel of Fortune (variation), Flying Geese Pinwheel
Part of: Pinwheel Quilt BlocksFlying Geese Quilt Blocks
The Dutchman's Puzzle quilt block pattern arranges pairs of flying geese around a rotating center. This traditional design is also called Dutchman's Wheel, and its movement comes from turning each pair rather than changing the unit shape.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Grid
- 4 × 4
- Pieces
- 24
Chart
Cutting for a 12" block
4 × 4 grid. All cuts fall on 1/8" ruler marks. Unfinished block: 12 1/2".
| Fabric | Shape | Cut | Size | Then | Pieces used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Half-square triangle | 8 | 3 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 16 |
| Dark | Quarter-square triangle | 1 | 7 1/4" square | Cut twice diagonally (4 triangles each) | 4 |
| Accent | Quarter-square triangle | 1 | 7 1/4" square | Cut twice diagonally (4 triangles each) | 4 |
Method
Piecing steps
Step 1: Cut 1 dark and 1 accent quarter-square triangle parent; cut each twice on the diagonal for 4 geese of each color.
Step 2: Cut 8 background half-square triangle parents and cut once on the diagonal for 16 sky triangles.
Step 3: Sew a sky triangle to each side of every goose. Make 4 dark and 4 accent geese and trim each to 6 1/2" by 3 1/2".
Step 4: Pair one dark and one accent goose, accent goose closer to the center, both pointing the same way. Make 4 quadrants measuring 6 1/2" square.
Step 5: Arrange the quadrants so the geese chase each other clockwise around the center, as in the diagram.
Step 6: Sew the top and bottom pairs of quadrants, then join them, pinning carefully at the center where eight points meet. The block should measure 12 1/2".