How to Do Whirlwind Quilt Blocks

The whirlwind quilt block is a free design, with the base design of the classic pinwheel. In quilting many patterns begin with a base design then an adaptation or change is made to the block's structure. Always check for copyrighted quilting designs before begining a new quilt.

1. Select the fabric. Fluid patterns creates a very striking quilt with a silk environmental theme. Hand painted silks fuse beautifully together as you vary the silks like a whirlwind through the quilt. This is an advanced technique. For this beginning exercise, the simplest fabrics will enable you to gain understanding of the pattern and cutting techniques. So, work with white cotton and a single color, red.


2. Select and cut several 12x12 inch fabric pieces from your two fabric selections. Count the number of pieces from each fabric these are almost even amounts. Look at the number and type of triangles to make the pattern. Always try to see the squares components match, number of triangles per square to cut and paper piece, for the complete batch.


3. Cut the pieces from 12x12 squares. Select  two pieces of red fabric and one piece of white 12x12 fabric squares. 


4. Cut your eight right triangles from a strip of the red 12x12 fabric. First cut a strip across the 12x12 square at a width of 6 inches, cut again at 6 inches, form 4, 6x6 squares, then cut across each square to form right triangles. 8 triangles will be cut from the 12x12, you can use your paper piece pattern to assist. Next cut your sixteen isosceles triangles, cut your 12x12 square into 4, 6x6 squares then cut twice on the diagonal to make four isosceles triangles; cut these in both red and white.


5. Mix and match. Sew one of the large triangles and one red and one white of the small triangles. You use paper piece to insure you take the proper seam width, and each piece matches. This pattern shifts, to capture this you need to sew one red white triangle, then one white red, then you sew to the larger triangle. You move and turn the place where the white triangle lives through the block, like a whirlwind. Getting a picture will be helpful. Sew all together and your first block is finished. Go back to first step; continue to complete the base quilt.