Quilting Techniques - Pinwheel Blocks by Lorrie Ryther-Hall

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This last memorial weekend, I went to the cemetery and noticed all the beautiful flowers and the pinwheels. I also put flowers and pinwheels on graves as do some of my quilting friends. The pinwheels were all different colors and different designs. Just like the pinwheels in our quilts. Pinwheels became popular in the 1800's when pioneers made their way west. They would see the vanes of water pump windmills and desired to duplicate them. They became to represent hard work, challenges, hope, optimism, transformation and change. They are practical and easy to make. Pinwheels begin with a four patch from half-square triangles. 









 In the past, we have gone over different ways of making HST to make one, four or eight. 


We also discussed disappearing blocks. Pinwheels also can be made into different disappearing blocks:



If you use 7" squares to make your pinwheel, you will end up with a 12" square. Instead of measuring and cutting in three's, you can cut into 9 equal 4" squares. Pinwheels can be used in so many different ways and made in different sizes. In children, panel and other quilts, they can be used as filler blocks. They can be used as sashings and corner stones.


At the May Quilt Days, Shauna Butler showed a pieced top that was hand pieced by the Quilt Day Piecers and will be hand quilted by the Quilt Day Quilters.




 The colors are fantastic and I personally love this quilt with all the pin wheels. Also, the hand piecers are working on this variation of a pinwheel, a Kaleidoscope. Did you see the friendship star in the disappearing pinwheel blocks That is what we will be exploring next month - Stars. For now, enjoy and happy quilting. Lorrie 


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