Windmills

From Quick Quilts May 2004 Issue

Windmills
designed by Brenda Groelz

Windmill Block

Finished Quilt Size
36" x 44 1/2"

Number of Blocks and
Finished Size
10 Windmill Blocks 6" x 6"
4 Half-Windmill Blocks

Plan!
Brenda enjoyed working with two lines of reproduction fabrics in her quilt: Vintage Indigos by P&B Textiles and Jo's Vintage Collection from Andover Fabrics.

One way to make a quilt look old is to use a mix of fabric prints in a repetitive block design. This is a good quilt to use one of those bundles of reproduction fabrics you find at your local quilt shop. We direct you to cut setting triangles from a minimum number of squares, but you may wish to cut extra triangles to achieve the same kind of variety found in the featured quilt.

The Windmill Block is pieced from 4 separate foundations that you create by cutting on the bold lines (see Piece by Piece, Part 4). The Half-Windmill Block requires that you cut the block foundation in half diagonally. Watch closely. We've marked the correct lines for you on the foundation.

You Need!
Assorted indigo prints
... 2-2 1/2 yds. total
Assorted tan/rust prints
... 1 1/2 -2 yds. total
Assorted dark red prints
... 3/8 - 1/2 yd. total

Indigo print (binding)
... 1/2 yd.
Backing
... 1 1/2 yds.
Batting ... Crib size
Sewing thread
Machine quilting thread

Prepare!
Note: Download foundation master. It is printed reversed and without seam allowance, and is meant to be traced or photocopied. Make 12 copies of foundation. Cut 10 copies into four quarters through the centers of bold lines. Cut the remaining 2 copies diagonally through the centers of the bold dashed lines. Do not leave any extra paper beyond the printed lines. All paper gets pulled away eventually, and having paper hidden in the seam allowance is just added work.

Cut!
Assorted indigo prints
cut a total of:
... *4 strips 4 1/2" x width of fabric (WOF)
... *2 squares 9 3/4" x 9 3/4", cut in half twice diagonally to make 8 quarter-square triangles
cut 10 matching sets of:
... 6 squares 2 1/2" x 2 1/2", cut in
half diagonally to make 12 half-square triangles
... 2 squares 4 1/2" x 4 1/2", cut in
half diagonally to make 4 half-square triangles
cut 4 matching sets of:
... 3 squares 2 1/2" x 2 1/2", cut in half diagonally to make 6 half-square triangles
... 1 square 4 1/2" x 4 1/2", cut in half diagonally to make 2 half-square triangles
Assorted dark red prints-cut a total of:
... 4 strips 1 1/2" x WOF

Assorted tan/rust prints
from lights cut a total of:
... *4 squares 9 3/4" x 9 3/4", cut in half twice diagonally to make 16 quarter-square triangles (2 left over)
... 2 squares 5 1/8" x 5 1/8", cut in half diagonally to make 4 half-square triangles
cut 10 matching sets of:
... 4 squares 2 1/2" x 2 1/2", cut in half diagonally to make 8 half-square triangles
... 2 squares 3 1/2" x 3 1/2", cut in half diagonally to make 4 half-square triangles
cut 4 matching sets of:
... 2 squares 2 1/2" x 2 1/2", cut in half diagonally to make 4 half-square triangles
... 1 square 3 1/2" x 3 1/2", cut in half diagonally to make 2 half-square triangles
*Cut first.

Sew!
1. Before starting, read through Piece by Piece, Part 4 for instructions on foundation piecing. Some important things to remember: 1. The foundations are printed in reverse, so the printed side goes in the opposite direction of how the fabric is stitched on the other side; 2. You must follow the number order when sewing; 3. Use a small, sharp needle (Brenda uses Schmetz Microtex size 11) with a short stitch (15-18 stitches per inch); 4. There is no seam allowance on the paper foundation. Allow at least 1/4" of fabric beyond the perimeter of the block and do not trim along the paper's edge; 5. Each Windmill Block is made from 4 matching foundations; Half-Windmill Blocks from 2 matching foundations.

2. Foundation piece 40 quarter-block units and 8 triangular units. Trim all units 1/4" beyond edge of paper foundation. Do not remove the paper until quilt borders have been added. Change sewing machine stitch length back to normal piecing length (10-12 stitches per inch). Sew units together (Diagrams I & II) to make 10 Windmill Blocks and 4 Half-Windmill Blocks.

Diagram I

Diagram II

3. Refer to Assembly Diagram and arrange and sew 2 vertical rows using Half-Windmill Blocks, assorted indigo print 9 3/4" quarter-square triangles, assorted light tan/rust print 9 3/4" quarter-square triangles, and Windmill Blocks. In same manner, sew 1 vertical center row using light tan/rust 5 1/8" half-square triangles, Windmill Blocks, and light tan/rust 9 1/8" quarter-square triangles. Sew rows together.

Assembly Diagram

4. To make pieced border, sew assorted dark red print 1 1/2" x WOF strips together (see Diagram III). Note: Brenda cut her WOF strips into shorter pieces of random length before sewing them together, and then cut the resulting strip into 4 strips approximately 36" long each. Sew 2 pieced strips to sides of quilt; trim even with top and bottom. Stitch remaining pieced strips to top/bottom; trim even with sides. Sew assorted 4 1/2" x WOF indigo print strips to sides of quilt; trim even. Stitch remaining indigo strips to top/bottom; trim even.

Diagram III

5. Layer and baste quilt top for quilting method of your choice. Brenda machine quilted all blocks in the ditch and a 1" grid in the tan setting triangles. She stitched parallel lines in the outer border and echoed the outside setting triangles. Bind quilt with indigo print fabric.

Windmills

USER COMMENTS

Connect with Quick Quilts:

Newsletter Sign-up:

Login:

Ads by Google

Sponsored Links

	Quilters Village Community	My Workspace My Messages My Groups My Galleries My Friends My Comments My Favorites Edit My Profile Community Member Directory Message Boards Contests Gallery Shop Extras Featured Articles Downloads Community Connect