- Background (muslin)
- Light (faded chambray)
- Dark (indigo)
Block No. 25 · pinwheel
Windmill Quilt Block
Also known as Windmill (framed pinwheel), Windmill (four-HST variation)
Part of: Pinwheel Quilt BlocksHalf Square Triangle Quilt BlocksEasy Quilt BlocksQuilt Blocks For Beginners
This Windmill adds squares and rectangles around a small central pinwheel. The name is also used for simpler four-HST blocks; this pattern uses the four-grid framed version.
- Level
- Beginner
- Grid
- 4 × 4
- Pieces
- 16
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 | Rectangle | 4 | 3 1/2" × 6 1/2" | Use as cut | 4 |
| Background | Half-square triangle | 2 | 3 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 4 |
| Light | Square | 4 | 3 1/2" square | Use as cut | 4 |
| Dark | Half-square triangle | 2 | 3 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 4 |
Method
Piecing steps
Step 1: Cut the triangle parent squares in the chart once diagonally. Pair the indicated fabrics, sew along the long edges and press; trim each small HST unit to 3 1/2".
Step 2: Sew a light square above each HST, then add a background rectangle to the left to make a 6 1/2" square quadrant.
Step 3: Rotate each quadrant a quarter turn from the previous one, keeping the pinwheel at the center and the long background rectangles on the outside.
Step 4: Sew the two upper quadrants together and the two lower quadrants together. Join the rows and press the center carefully.
Step 5: Join the sections with a consistent 1/4-inch seam, pressing between seams. Check that the unfinished block measures 12 1/2" square.