Put a Spin On It

Designer: Karen Montgomery

• 2-3⁄4 yards gray batik (blocks)
• 9--1⁄4-yard pieces assorted batiks (blocks) or 18-(2 each of nine) 10" precut squares assorted batiks (blocks)
• 1⁄2 yard blue-and-green batik (binding)
• 3-1⁄2 yards backing fabric
• 63" square batting
• Quick Trim Ruler (optional)

Finished quilt: 54-1⁄2" square

Finished block: 18" square

Quantities are for precut 10" squares and 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics.

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order.

From gray batik, cut:

• 36--5×9-1⁄2" rectangles
• 72--5" squares

From each of the nine assorted batiks, cut:

• 4--5×9-1⁄2" rectangles

Note: If you are using precut 10" squares, cut 2--5×9-1⁄2" rectangles from each square.

From blue-and-green batik, cut:

• 6--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips

You can make the Flying Geese units using two methods.

Designer Karen Montgomery used the Quick Trim Ruler she designed for Creative Grids to trim the corners of the Flying Geese units. To use this specialty ruler, follow these steps.

1.    For one Flying Geese unit, gather two gray batik 5" squares and one assorted batik 5×9-1⁄2" rectangle.

2.    Align a gray batik 5" square with one end of the assorted batik 5×9-1⁄2" rectangle.

3.    Place ruler on layered fabrics with one 45° line along top edge of rectangle and the other 45° line along perpendicular edge of square. The corner of the square will fit neatly into the notch that is created where 45° lines cross  (Photo 1). The black dotted line on the ruler, which is the seam line, will run diagonally from corner to corner on background square.

4.    Trim off corner (Photo 1). Sew layered pieces together, 1⁄4" from cut edge.

5.    Press open attached triangle, pressing seam toward triangle (Photo 2).

6.    Add a second square at opposite end of rectangle. Fit corner of square into the ruler notch, making sure the dotted line runs from corner to corner. Trim off corner (Photo 3). Sew as before to make a Flying Geese unit (Photo 4). The unit should be 9-1⁄2×5" including seam allowances.

7.    Repeat steps 2–6 to make 36 Flying Geese units total (nine sets of four matching units).

1.    Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each gray batik 5" square. (To prevent fabric from stretching as you draw lines, place 220-grit sandpaper under each square.)

2.    Align a marked 5" square with one end of an assorted batik 5×9-1⁄2" rectangle (Diagram 1; note direction of drawn line). Sew on drawn line, then trim excess, leaving a 1⁄4" seam allowance. Press open attached triangle, pressing seam toward triangle.

3.     In same manner, add a second marked square to opposite end of rectangle (Diagram 1; again note direction of drawn line). Stitch, trim, and press as before to make a Flying Geese unit. The unit should be 9-1⁄2×5" including seam allowances.

4.    Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make 36 Flying Geese units total (nine sets of four matching units).

1.    For one Pinwheel block you will need four matching Flying Geese units and four gray batik 5×9-1⁄2" rectangles.

2.    Sew together one Flying Geese unit and a gray batik 5×9-1⁄2" rectangle to make a subunit (Diagram 2). The subunit should be 9-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four subunits total.

3.    Referring to Diagram 3 for placement, sew together subunits in pairs. Press seams in opposite directions. Then join pairs to make a Pinwheel block. Press seam in one direction. The Pinwheel block should be 18-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

4.    Repeat steps 1–3 to make nine Pinwheel blocks total.

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out Pinwheel blocks in three horizontal rows.

2.    Sew together blocks in each row. Press seams in one direction, alternating direction with each row.

3.    Join rows to complete quilt top. Press seams in one direction.

1.    Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste.

2.    Quilt as desired. Karen machine-stitched in the ditch around the colored triangle in each Flying Geese unit to accentuate the pinwheel shapes. In the gray batik rectangles she stitched diagonal lines to mimic the seam lines in the Flying Geese units.

3.    Bind with blue-and-green batik binding strips.