IMQG Block of the Month for March

Our March Block of the Month for VAANI is the Windmill or Pinwheel Block.

Windmill or Pinwheel Block

Finished Size of block:

12 inches

Materials:

2 fat quarters, 1 light coloured fabric and the other a dark coloured fabric.

A spool of beige thread.

2 fat quarters, one light and the other dark 

Tools:  

12-1/2" square & 6 x 12" acrylic rulers

Rotary cutter

Self-healing mat

Pins
Iron
Sewing Machine

Recommended Tools

Cutting:

Note - to construct half-square triangles (HSTs), determine the size of the finished unit and add 7/8th inch.  I will be rounding the 7/8th inch to 1 inch and trimming off the excess after the unit is sewn.  For a 12" block, I will need four 6-1/2" finished HST units plus 1 inch = four 7-1/2" squares.

Wash and iron both fabrics.

Using a 12-1/2" square ruler:
   Cut two 7-1/2" squares from the light fabric

   Cut two 7-1/2" squares from the dark fabric

Each fat quarter yielded four 7-1/2" squares, so I will make 2 blocks

Construction:

1.  Using a 6" x 12" ruler, draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each light square.

Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each light square

2.   Pair a light square with a dark square, right sides together, with the drawn line facing up for a total of two pairs for each block.

Pair a light square with a dark square placing right sides together

3.   Pin each pair together.

Pin each pair on corners away from the drawn line

4.   Stitch ¼" away from the drawn line through each pair, chain piecing as you sew.  Chain piecing means to feed the next unit under the foot without releasing the previous unit.  Notice the little scrap of fabric preceding the unit that was just sewn.  This is called a "leader" scrap that was sewn before the first unit to prevent the pointed tip of the unit from catching in the little hole in the bed of the sewing machine. 

Sew 1/4" on each side of the drawn line, chain piecing as you sew

5.   Remove this chain of sewn units from the sewing machine, turn it around and again stitch ¼" away from the drawn line along the other side.

Turn chain around and sew on other side of drawn line

6.   Remove the pins and clip threads to separate the sewn units. 

Clip threads that hold two units together

7.   Cut each of the units in half diagonally along the drawn line.

Cut diagonally along the drawn line

8.   Flip each square open with the darker fabric on top and press the seam towards the darker fabric. 

Press seams towards the darker fabric

9.   Centering the diagonal seam along the diagonal line on the ruler, trim each square to 6½".  Please note, the more prominent solid diagonal line in the picture is actually on the mat, showing through the ruler.

Trim each unit to 6-1/2" square

10.   Trim any remaining 'dog ears'.

Trim away any remaining 'dog ears'

   

11.   Referring to the block illustration, lay out the pinwheel pattern.

Lay units out following illustration

12.   Stitch the top two units together, pressing the seam to one side.  Stitch the bottom two units together, pressing the seam to the opposite side.

Join top two units and bottom two units, pressing seams in opposite directions

13.   Place the top unit on top of the bottom unit, nest the seams together and pin in place. One pin should be placed at the intersection of the vertical and diagonal rows of stitching and another pin placed right next to it.  

Nest the seams and pin in place

14.   Stitch the top row to the bottom row, making sure the needle penetrates the fabrics just above the pin that was placed at the intersection of the two rows of stitching.  Do not remove this pin completely.  As you approach it, remove it gently until the bottom of the pin is released and leave it in place until the needle passes it.  

...and hooray! the Pinwheel Block is done!

15.   Press the block flat.