twirly whirly {quilt top using 8 fat quarters}

 This quilt top is so easy and so FAST! The best part? It uses eight fat quarters.

Each block is 25.25" (64cm) square. The quilt top measures approximately 50.5" (128cm) square.

Now, pinwheels can be constructed in a variety of different ways. I didn't reinvent the wheel. Rather, I used a technique for super fast pinwheels from The Missouri Star Quilt Co and upsized the blocks to fat quarter size.

Print from Saffron Craig's Bees Please range

I chose four fat quarters from Saffron Craig's Bees Please range in two different prints (two FQ's of each) and four fat quarters of a pink fabric from my stash.

A quilt this size is perfect as a lap quilt or a large baby quilt.

Let me show you how I did it. It is so simple

Trim your fat quarters so that they are all the same size. I chose to cut mine into 19" squares.

Place two FQ's right sides together (I used a print and a plain. These two fabrics will make one pinwheel, so select fabrics that either contrast or complement each other). Using a 1/4" seam, sew all the way around the outside.

Cut the sewn fabric square diagonally from corner to corner. This will yield four triangles.

Open each triangle and press seams towards the darkest fabric (I chose to press seams towards the print). Make sure the iron is on the dry setting (steam can distort the fabric). You should now have four half square triangles.

Arrange into a pinwheel configuration. Sew the half square triangles together in pairs. Press seams before sewing the two pairs together.

 Make three more pinwheel blocks.

Sew them together and you have a lovely pinwheel quilt top.

So, if you have some fat quarters that have been hanging around for a while, consider turning them into a super sized pinwheel quilt.

I'd love to see photos if you do. I'm sure they'll be better than mine!!