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Block Patterns

Pinwheel

A spinning block made from four half square triangles arranged to suggest rotation.

The Pinwheel block is made from four half square triangles arranged so that the dark triangles all point in the same rotational direction — either clockwise or counterclockwise — creating the illusion of a spinning pinwheel. Pinwheels can be made any size and work beautifully in two fabrics or many scrappy fabrics. When multiple Pinwheel blocks are arranged together in a quilt, their spinning directions can create secondary pinwheel patterns at the block intersections. The block is beginner-friendly while offering dynamic visual results.

Related Terms

Half Square Triangle (HST)A square unit made from two right triangles of different fabrics sewn together along the diagonal.Churn DashA classic nine-patch block featuring a center square surrounded by half square triangles and rectangles.

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