Quilt in a Weekend: Pinwheel Crib Quilt, or Wall Hanging

    As my siblings, cousins, and I all get a little older there has been a lull in the births in the family, so we were very excited to learn of a new little bundle of joy on the way. One of the things I just love to make is a baby quilt. It's a quick project and when else can you use those cutesy fabrics?

  Since cousin A. is expecting a little lad, I delved into my blues and greens and decided to put together a pinwheel quilt.

Pinwheel blocks are a good way to use up scraps, and they can be whimsical or even kind of posh. I've used this pattern to make a previous baby quilt, as well as a pillow and a couch throw.

   Here is the fabric pallet I chose:

1.) What makes this an easy block is a simple trick to making Half Square Triangles. So to start, cut your squares 7/8 of an inch larger than you want your finished square to be. I am cutting mine 4 7/8 inches, 12 squares each of 4 fabrics.

3.) Lay one square on top of the other (right sides together) and mark the center from corner to corner.

3.) Use this mark as a guideline to sew 1/4 inch away on either side.

By the way, this is a great time to use chain piecing.

4.) When all the pieces are sewn on both sides of the center line, cut on that center line, press open, and you will have two half Square Triangles.

5.) Arrange your pieces in the pinwheel pattern.

(Tun the pieces a little and you could also make the Broken Dishes pattern.)

6.) Sew your pieces together in sets (top, and bottom two) and press.

7.) Then sew these two sets together, press, and trim up the sides. As we learned with the Valentine's Heart Pillow: sloppy sides make for sloppy projects.

8.) Arrange in the order you desire.

9.) Cut the short sashing, 3 inches wide by the length of your blocks (3in.X8in. for mine), and sew to the bottom of the blocks **except for the bottom row**.

10.) Cut long sashing strips to go between the rows, 3in. wide by the length of the row. I like to cut the strips a couple of inches longer than the row just to make sure I have enough.

11.) Using the same method, cut and sew 3in.-wide strips to frame in the blocks:

First the top and bottom

Then the long sides

12.) Then layer with your batting and backing, and baste or pin together (more on the layers and basting).

13.) Quilt or Tie

14.) Then finish off with the binding.

View of the back

I can't tell you how much I love this one. I'm not bragging, I just get a kick out of seeing it all come together and imagining the joy and warmth it will bring.

Quilt in a Weekend Part 3: Binding

Thank you far all the comments. I just love seeing other people getting excited about their own quilt!


Now that our quilt is tied or stitched together, lets finish it off with the binding. Binding is just the fabric you sew on to cover the raw edge of your quilt, and if you've ever sewn bias tape on a project you will find this somewhat familiar.

You will need coordinating fabric, if I buy it, I usually get 2 yards. I had enough fabric leftover from my backing that I will just be using that up.

1.) Cut your fabric into 6 inch wide strips (enough strips to go around your quilt plus 6 inches).

2.) Sew your strips together, making one long strip...sounds familiar, eh? To make a strong joint, you will need to stitch a diagonal seam. To do this, place your strips (right-sides together) in a 90 degree angle. Stitch from corner to corner as indicated by the black thread.

3.) Cut the outside corner off, 1/4 inch away from the stitching.

4.)Take your strip to the ironing board, and press the it in half (wrong-sides together).

Now, you're ready to sew it onto the quilt. Here you must decide if you will finish the binding with hand stitching or machine stitching. With either method, you will use your machine to sew the binding onto the quilt first, in step 5. If you will be hand stitching, sew the binding to the front of the quilt. If you are machine stitching all of it, sew the binding to the back of the quilt.

5.)  Starting a few inches from the end of your binding strip, sew the binding onto your quilt (raw edges toward raw edges) with a one inch seam allowance.

6.) When you get to a corner, stop about an inch away from the edge...

...leave the needle down, turn your quilt, turn the binding strip to the 90 degree angle, and continue stitching. It will be a little wrinkly at the edge but you should be able to smooth it out where you're sewing.

7.) When you come near the end of your binding:
A-Trim it to a couple inches past the edge of your start.

 B-Fold the edges of your start, inward.

C-Then tuck the end into the start.

8.) Continue stitching until you've come back to your first stitches.

9.) Turn the quilt over, fold the binding over the raw edges, and stitch down.
**If you are hand stitching, just use a slip stitch.

If you are machine stitching, place the edge of the binding at the stitching from the back.

Stitch down 1/4 inch from the edge.

10.) At the corner, make a miter by:
A-Cutting across the corner to reduce bulk...

B- Folding the middle/corner point in...

C- Fold the lower edge in...

D- Fold the upper edge in, and adjust to make them, meet.

E- Sew, and turn the corner.

Just keep going until you've reached your starting point again.





Here's the finished product: