Shifts of Nature

Inspired by Spinwheels from designer Kathie Holland

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 5⁄8 yard total assorted light to medium batiks in brown, gold, tan, green, blue, and orange (blocks)
• 5⁄8 yard total assorted medium to dark batiks in brown, gold, tan, green, blue, and orange (blocks)
• 2⁄3 yard mottled brown batik (inside setting squares)
• 5⁄8 yard dark brown batik (outside setting squares)
• 1⁄2 yard brown-and-rust batik (setting and corner triangles)
• 1⁄2 yard binding fabric
• 2-1⁄2 yards backing fabric
• 44×58" batting

Finished quilt: 35-7⁄8×50"

Finished block: 5" square

Yardage 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.

Cut pieces in the following order.

From assorted light to medium batiks, cut:

• 48--3-3⁄8" squares (24 sets of 2 matching squares)

From assorted medium to dark batiks, cut:

• 48--3-3⁄8" squares (24 sets of 2 matching squares)

From mottled brown batik, cut:

• 15--5-1⁄2" setting squares

From dark brown batik, cut:

• 20--5-1⁄2" setting squares

From brown-and-rust batik, cut:

• 5--8-3⁄8" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 20 setting triangles total
• 2--4-1⁄2" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 4 corner triangles

From binding fabric, cut:

• 5--2-1⁄2×42" binding strips

1. For one block, gather two matching light/medium batik 3-3⁄8" squares and two matching medium/dark batik 3-3⁄8" squares.

2. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each light/medium square.

3. Layer marked square on medium/dark batik 3-3⁄8" square. Sew together pair with two seams, stitching 1⁄4" on each side of drawn line. (Diagram 1).

4. Cut pair apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press open each triangle unit, pressing seam toward darker batik, to make two triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 3" square including seam allowances.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to make four matching triangle-squares total.

6. Sew together triangle-squares in pairs (Diagram 2). Press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make a Pinwheel block. Press seam in one direction. The block should be 5-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

7. Repeat steps 1–6 to make 24 Pinwheel blocks total. Note: Quilt tester Laura Boehnke made some blocks with the darker batik in the positions shown in Diagram 2 and some with the dark and light batiks in opposite positions.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out Pinwheel blocks, mottled brown batik setting squares, dark brown batik setting squares, and brown-and-rust batik setting triangles in 11 diagonal rows.

2. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward setting squares. Join rows; press seams in one direction. Add brown-and-rust batik corner triangles to complete quilt top. Press seams toward corner triangles.

1. Layer quilt top, batting and backing; baste. Quilt as desired.

2. Bind with binding strips.