Flowers and Pinwheels

Inspired by Breezy from Andy Knowlton of A Bright Corner

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 1⁄3 yard white tone-on-tone (blocks)
• 1--10" square each yellow print Nos. 1 and 2, blue print Nos. 1 and 2, green print, and pink print (blocks)
• 1--18×21" piece (fat quarter) each yellow print Nos. 3 and 4 and blue print Nos. 3 and 4 (blocks)
• 1⁄2 yard pale blue tone-on-tone (blocks)
• 1⁄4 yard dark green print (inner border)
• 5⁄8 yard multicolor floral (outer border)
• 3⁄8 yard yellow chevron (binding)
• 1-1⁄4 yards backing fabric
• 42" square batting

Finished quilt: 34" square

Finished block: 12" square

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

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

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

Cut pieces in the following order.

From white tone-on-tone, cut:

• 8--2-7⁄8" squares
• 16--2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles

From each yellow print Nos. 1 and 2 and blue print Nos. 1 and 2, cut:

• 2--2-7⁄8" squares

From each yellow print Nos. 3 and 4 and blue print Nos. 3 and 4, cut:

• 4--2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles
• 12--2-1⁄2" squares

From pale blue tone-on-tone, cut:

• 16--2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles
• 48--2-1⁄2" squares

From each green print and pink print, cut:

• 8--2-1⁄2" squares

From dark green print, cut:

• 2--1-1⁄4 ×26" inner border strips
• 2--1-1⁄4 ×24-1⁄2" inner border strips

From multicolor floral, cut:

• 2--4-1⁄2 ×34" outer border strips
• 2--4-1⁄2 ×26" outer border strips

From yellow chevron, cut:

• 4--2-1⁄2 ×42" binding strips

1.    Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each white tone-on-tone 2-7⁄8" square.

2.    Layer a marked white tone-on-tone square atop a yellow print No. 1-2-7⁄8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1⁄4" on each side of marked line (Diagram 1). Cut apart on drawn line. Press triangles open to make two triangle-squares. Each should be 2-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Using matching print 2-7⁄8" square, repeat to make four matching triangle-squares total.

3.    Referring to Diagram 2, sew together triangle-squares in pairs. Join pairs to make a Pinwheel unit. The unit should be 4-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

4.    Repeat steps 2 and 3 using yellow print No. 2, blue print No. 1, and blue print No. 2 to make four Pinwheel units total.

1.    Gather twelve 2-1⁄2" squares and four 2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles from blue print No. 3, yellow print No. 1 pinwheel unit, two green print 2-1⁄2" squares, two pink print 2-1⁄2" squares, 12 pale blue tone-on-tone 2-1⁄2" squares, four pale blue tone-on-tone 2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles, and four white tone-on-tone 2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles.

2.    Mark a diagonal line on wrong side of eight blue print No. 3-2-1⁄2" squares, green print 2-1⁄2" squares, pink print 2-1⁄2" squares, and eight pale blue tone-on-tone 2-1⁄2" squares.

3.    Align a marked green print 2-1⁄2" square with left-hand end of a pale blue tone-on-tone 2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangle (Diagram 3; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim seam allowance to 1⁄4" and press open attached triangle to make a rectangle unit. The unit still should be 4-1⁄2 ×2-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat with remaining green print 2-1⁄2" square and pink print 2-1⁄2" squares to make four rectangle units total.

4.    Referring to Diagram 4, lay out a rectangle unit, an unmarked pale blue tone-on-tone 2-1⁄2" square, and an unmarked blue print No. 3-2-1⁄2" square in two rows. Sew together squares in bottom row. Join rectangle unit and squares to make a corner unit. The unit should be 4-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four corner units total.

5.    Align a marked pale blue tone-on-tone square with one end of a blue print No. 3-2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangle (Diagram 5; note direction of marked line). Stitch, trim, and press as before. Add a second marked pale blue tone-on-tone square to opposite end of rectangle to make Flying Geese Unit A. The unit should be 4-1⁄2 ×2-1⁄2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four Flying Geese A units total.

6.    Using marked blue print No. 3 squares and white tone-on-tone 2-1⁄2 ×4-1⁄2" rectangles, repeat Step 5 to make four Flying Geese B units (Diagram 6).

7.    Sew together a Flying Geese Unit A and a Flying Geese Unit B to make a side unit (Diagram 7). The unit should be 4-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four side units total.

8.    Referring to Diagram 8, lay out corner units (paying attention to color placement), side units, and Pinwheel unit in three rows. Sew together units in rows. Join rows to make a block. The block should be 12-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

9.    Repeat steps 1–8 using blue print No. 4 pieces with yellow print No. 2 Pinwheel block and yellow print Nos. 3 and 4 pieces with blue print Nos. 1 and 2 Pinwheel blocks to make four blocks total (Quilt Assembly Diagram).

1.    Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out blocks in two rows. Sew together blocks in rows. Press seams in opposite directions. Join rows to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 24-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

2.    Sew 1-1⁄4 ×24-1⁄2" dark green print inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add 1-1⁄4×26" dark green print inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border.

3.    Sew multicolor floral 4-1⁄2 ×26" outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add multicolor floral 4-1⁄2 ×34" outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward outer border.

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

2.     Quilt as desired. Handi Quilter Studio Educator Vicki Hoth framed the blocks with straight lines to create a secondary block (Quilting Diagram). She added diamonds to the Pinwheel blocks and a loop design to the block backgrounds. She filled the pale blue quilt background with free-motion feathers. Because the border print was busy, she quilted a checkerboard design to add texture.

3.    Bind with yellow chevron binding strips.