This is a lovely quilt block and easy to make using your quilting ruler that has a 60° line.
(We have a video on how to cut triangles using a 60° ruler or the 60° lines on your mat – Here is a link to that tutorial. )
What You Need
- Fabric Strip 1 – 2½” by width of fabric ( WOF = the width from selvedge to selvedge. Usually you cut with the fabric folded in half and measure from the folded edge to the selvedge.
- Fabric Strip 2 – 2½” by width of fabric – contrasting fabric.
Watch the video tutorial below or scroll down for written instructions
(Can’t see the video? You may have an ad blocker installed.)
Method:
Place the two strips together with right sides facing.
Sew the two strips of fabric together with a 1/4″ seam
Press the seam towards the darker fabric.
Trim the selvedges from one end of the strip.
Find the 60º line on your ruler. You can see in the image how the line runs from the bottom right hand corner upwards to the left. It is also marked with 60º at one end of the line and 30° at the other end of the line. It’s the same line so just ignore the 30°.
Once you have found it, it might be worth your while to add a piece of masking tape along that line so it is easy for you to find again and you don’t confuse it with any of the other lines that on your ruler.
Turn your ruler so that the 60º line sits along the bottom edge of your fabric as shown in the image below.
And place the edge of the ruler so that it lines up with the top corner of your fabric.
You are ready to make your first cut.
Now turn your ruler so that the 60º line lays along the edge that you just cut and the point of the ruler sits at the bottom edge of the fabric.
And cut.
Turn the ruler again so that the 60º line is running along the bottom edge of the fabric and the edge of the ruler lines up along the top edge.
Make your cut.
Continue like this along the strip until you have cut the required number of triangles for your project. We got 15 triangles from the strip.
You will now have two blocks with alternating colors that compliment each other nicely. Turn the triangles around until you find the design that you decide is just right for your project. So many possibilities.
Pinwheel Hexagon Pattern #1
Pinwheel Hexagon Pattern #2
Pinwheel Hexagon Pattern #3
Pinwheel Hexagon Pattern #4
Once you have arranged the triangles how you want them to look, join them with a 1/4″ seam. Here is a link to a tutorial on how to sew triangles together.
How to Sew the Pinwheel Hexagon Blocks together
Click to see our tutorial on how to sew these hexagon pinwheel blocks together.
Suzanne says
I came to the blog from Pinterest to see how to make them in to a finished quilt. I can see that you could sew all of the triangles into a strip and then sew the strips together., it would just take a lot of planning. Do you have any examples of finished quilts using this technique? How do you normally sew the locks together?
Alanda Craft says
We don’t have any finished quilts using this block. We would love to have done one but you are right in that ‘it would take a lot of planning’ and we just didn’t have the time unfortunately.
You can see how we sewed the blocks together here – https://www.alandacraft.com/2022/12/11/how-to-sew-a-hexagon-pinwheel-block/
diane ward says
I’m sew glad I found you guys on pnterest. Thanks for this great block idea, especially showing us how to use our rulers instead of having to buy a new one. they seem to come out with a “new” one all the time and try to convince us we need it!
Alanda Craft says
Yes, I know what you mean Diane. We have a ton of rulers that ‘we thought we needed’ and then really end up only using about 3 or 4 of them for most of the time.
Vickie B says
This was a fun project! Used left over strips and made hot pads with this pattern and gave as gifts to friends for Christmas. Thanks for sharing!!
Alanda Craft says
I am so glad to hear that you liked the tutorial Vickie 😊. Using this pattern to make hot pads is a great idea.