Diamond Pinwheels
Make bright and happy pinwheels in your favorite fabrics for a quilt that will please anyone. Whether it’s gifted or used in your home, you’re sure to get lots of compliments.
CUTTING
From gold tonal: • Cut 1 (103/4") A square. From red, green, blue & coral tonals: • Cut 1 (103/4" by fabric width) strip each fabric. Subcut each strip into 2 (103/4")
A squares. From raspberry red tonal: • Cut 1 (611/2" by fabric width) strip. Along length of fabric, subcut strip into 2 (21/2" x 611/2") J strips, 8 (21/4" x 611/2") strips, 2 (21/2" x 391/2") I strips and 4 (21/2") H squares. Set aside 5 (21/4"-wide) strips for binding. Subcut the remaining 3 (21/4"-wide)
strips into 60 (21/4") C squares. From white solid: • Cut 3 (103/4" by fabric width) strips.
Subcut strips into 9 (103/4") B squares. • Cut 1 (751/2" by fabric width) strip. Referring to Figure 1, subcut strip into 2 (51/2" x 751/2") M strips, 2 (51/2" x 431/2") L strips and 4 (21/2" x 311/2") E strips. Cut remainder of strip into
7 (21/2" x 751/2") strips. Subcut strips into 10 (21/2" x 91/2") D strips, 4 (21/2") K squares, 2 (21/2" x 351/2") G strips, 4 (21/2" x 571/2") F strips and 2 (21/2" x 311/2") E strips (to total 6 E strips).
COMPLETING THE A- B UNITS
1. Mark a line from corner to corner on both diagonals on the wrong side of each B square as shown in Figure 2.
2. Layer a B square right sides together with an A square and stitch 1/4" from each side of the marked lines as shown in Figure 3.
3. Cut the stitched squares in half (53/8") through the horizontal and vertical centers as shown in Figure 4. Cut on the marked diagonal lines, again referring to Figure 4.
4. Press each unit open with the seam toward A to make a total of eight A-B units as shown in Figure 5.
5. Repeat steps 2–4 with all A and B squares.
6. Center the diagonal seams and trim the A-B units to 5" square if necessary. Set aside four each gold, blue and coral A-B units for another project.
COMPLETING THE BLOCKS
1. Mark a diagonal line from corner to corner on each C square.
2. Select one A-B unit and one marked C square.
3. Place the C square on the lower right corner of the A-B unit with A in the upper right half and stitch on the marked line as shown in Figure 6.
4. Trim excess seam allowance to 1/4" and press C to the right side to complete one A-B-C unit as shown in Figure 7.
5. Repeat steps 2–4 with all A-B units to make a total of 60 A-B-C units.
6. To complete one Diamond Pinwheel block, select four matching A-B-C units. 7. Join two A-B-C units to make a row as shown in Figure 8; press. Repeat.
8. Join the two rows to complete one Diamond Pinwheel block as shown in Figure 9.
9. Repeat steps 6–8 to complete one gold, three each blue and coral, and four each red and green Diamond Pinwheel blocks.
COMPLETING THE QUILT
Refer to the Assembly Diagram as needed for construction steps.
1. Arrange the blocks in five rows of three blocks each, placing blocks to form samecolor diagonal designs in the pieced center.
2. Select and join blocks for row 1 with two D strips to complete the row; press.
3. Repeat step 2 with remaining rows.
4. Join the rows with E strips, beginning and ending with E strips; press.
5. Sew an F strip to opposite long sides to complete the pieced center; press.
6. Sew G strips to the top and bottom of the pieced center; press. Sew an H square to each end of each remaining F strip; press. Sew these strips to opposite long sides of the pieced center; press.
7. Sew I strips to the top and bottom of the pieced center; press. Sew a K square to each end of each J strip; press. Sew these strips to opposite long sides of the pieced center; press.
8. Sew L strips to the top and bottom, and M strips to opposite long sides of the pieced center to complete the quilt top; press.
9. Create a quilt sandwich referring to Quilting Basics on page 94. 10. Quilt as desired. 11. Bind edges referring to Quilting Basics on page 94 to finish.