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Block 8: Pinwheel and Squares….Don’t Be Afraid!

Nikki · May 3, 2009 · 1 Comment

pinwheel-and-squares-block-8Pinwheels can be scary, but please, don’t be afraid.  They look tricky, but they are actually very simple to do.  I feel like a broken record, but as long as you make sure you are sewing accurately, you’ll be very impressed with yourself after you complete your first one.  The picture of this Pinwheel and Squares block isn’t the best example of my photography skills.  The lighting in the room seemed to be highlighting my mistakes.  I recently read on another quilting blog that after three attempts at fixing a seam, it’ time to call it quits and say good enough.  I forced myself to do that here.  I could have taken some of these seams out three or four more times and probably not gotten them as exact as I’d have liked them, but I was exhausted and my patience was running very thin.  Any thoughts on when to throw in the towel?

Enjoy,

Nikki, In Stitches

Green Tonal:

  • Cut 2 medium squares 2 7/8” x 2 7/8”
  • Cut 20 small squares 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”

Paisley:

  • Cut 8 small squares 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”

Brown Tonal:

  • Cut 2 medium squares 2 7/8” x 2 7/8”

Pink Tonal:

  • Cut 4 rectangles 4 1/2” x 2 1/2”

Pink Geometric:

  • Cut 4 large squares 4 1/2” x 4 1/2”

Brown Houndstooth:

  • Cut 4 small squares 2 1/2” x 2 1/2”
  • Cut 4 rectangles 4 1/2” x 2 1/2”

pinwheel-and-squares-step-11. Draw a diagonal line on the back of each Green Tonal 2 7/8” square from corner to corner. With right sides together, place 1 Green Tonal square on top of 1 Brown Tonal 2 7/8” square. Stitch 1/4” on each side of the drawn line. Cut the square into two triangles by cutting on the diagonally drawn line. Press to the Brown Tonal fabric to complete a Triangle Unit. Make 4 Triangle Units.

2. Sew two Triangle Units together. Sew the remaining two Triangle Units together. Sew these two pieces together to create the Pinwheel Unit for the square.

pinwheel-and-squares-step-2a

pinwheel-and-squares-step-2b

(Use your pressed seams as a guide when pinning. If pressed in the suggested direction, the seams should nestle together and help ensure your pinwheel is pieced accurately.)

pinwheel-and-squares-step-33. Draw a diagonal line on the back of eight Green Tonal 2 1/2” squares from corner to corner. With right sides together, align 1 Green Tonal square with the left side of 1 Pink Tonal rectangle. Stitch on the drawn line. Cut away excess fabric by cutting 1/4” out from the stitching line. Press to the Green Tonal fabric.

pinwheel-and-squares-step-44. With right sides together, align another Green Tonal square with the right side of the same Pink Tonal rectangle. Stitch on the drawn line. Cut away excess fabric by cutting 1/4” out from the stitching line. Press to the Green Tonal fabric, to complete (Flying Geese) Unit 1. Make 4 (Flying Geese) Unit 1’s.

pinwheel-and-squares-step-55. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to make a (Flying Geese) Unit 2 using 2 Paisley squares and one 1 Brown Houndstooth rectangle. Make 4 (Flying Geese) Unit 2’s.

pinwheel-and-squares-step-66. Sew a (Flying Geese) Unit 1 to a (Flying Geese) Unit 2 to complete Unit A. (Points of the Flying Geese Units should be facing away from each other.)Press to the Brown Houndstooth fabric. Make 4 Unit A’s.

pinwheel-and-squares-step-77. Draw a diagonal line on the back of the remaining Green Tonal 2 1/2” square from corner to corner. With right sides together, align 1 Green Tonal square in the corner of a Pink Geometric square. Stitch on the drawn line. Cut away excess fabric by cutting 1/4” out from the stitching line. Press to the Green Tonal fabric.

pinwheel-and-squares-step-88. Using the same method as in Step 7, sew a Brown Houndstooth square in the opposite corner of the same Pink Geometric square. Trim and press as in Step 7.

pinwheel-and-squares-step-99. Using the same method as in Step 7, sew Green Tonal squares in the two remaining corners of the same Pink Geometric square. Trim and press as in Step 7, to complete Unit B. Make 4 Unit B’s.

pinwheel-and-squares-step-1010. Sew a Unit B to each side of Unit A. Press to the Unit B’s. Repeat this with the other two remaining Unit B’s.

pinwheel-and-squares-step-1111. Sew the remaining two Unit A’s to each side of the Pinwheel Unit. Press to Pinwheel Unit.

pinwheel-and-squares-step-1212. Sew Rows 1 and 2 together, pressing towards Row 2. Sew Row 3 on to the bottom, pressing towards Row 2 again.

For other posts from Nikki, In Stitches related to the Relay Quilt, please see the following:

Let’s Start at the Very Beginning

Cheap Trick

Churn Dash – Your First Quilt Block

And For Your Second Block…A Card Trick

Third Times the Charm, or a Sawtooth Patchwork

Back to Blocks…4th: Gentleman’s Fancy?

Block Five: A Dove in the Window

Block Six: A Flower Pot…My Fave So Far

7th Block: Crow’s Foot…and You Can Actually See the Feet!

Rosebud: The 9th and FINAL Block!

The End is in Sight!

A Quilt Sambo

Bound and Determined

Tagged and Ready for the Relay

Relay Results

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Filed Under: Blog, Sewing Tagged With: Quilting

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Comments

  1. jojo says

    May 13, 2011 at 3:39 pm

    sublime ma nikkie
    alors es tu bien installéé dans ta nouvelle maisonn tu te plais

    (Sublime, my Nikki…until you are well established in your new home like me!)

    Reply

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