Pinwheel

Pinwheel Vanes

Half Square Triangle Pinwheel Quilt Pattern | Whims And Fancies

A couple of months ago my dear little cat Montague had to spend a week at UC Davis Veterinary Hospital. I worked on this quilt for him while he was away. Once he was back home, he was to sleep alone at night for a couple of weeks. Since he loves to sleep with us, he was more than a little lonely. He also loves quilts, and I had this quilt ready on his bed to make him feel comfortable.

Half Square Triangle Pinwheel Paper Piecing Pattern | Whims And Fancies

I love wind turbines, that’s what gave me the idea for this quilt block. It’s my version of a pinwheel quilt pattern with a little twist. These are some of the fabrics I purchased when I first started quilting/sewing. They were perfect for this project. Because of the sashing, I didn’t have to align any seams on these blocks, which made for a very quick finish.

Half Square Triangle Pinwheel Paper Piecing Pattern | Whims And Fancies

Along with using the walking foot for quilting, I also tried a little bit of free motion quilting on this one. I wanted a sense of motion on the vanes, so I added light, curved-line quilting on them as if they were moving in counter-clockwise direction. Then I added wavy lines in the sashing for wind.

Half Square Triangle Pinwheel Paper Piecing Pattern | Whims And Fancies

One day I will make a larger quilt from this pattern. As I was playing with colours, I came up with a few colourways. Orange-yellow-grey is my favourite combination and the blue one is inspired by my love for the night sky. I believe I was thinking of trees and lakes when I coloured the blue-green one. Gradients are always fun in any colour, I drew up an aqua-teal one!

A few notes about the pattern –

It is NOT a true HST block. However, along with the paper piecing pattern, I included instructions for making the blocks using HST-s as well.

Measurements and templates are provided if you wish to precut fabric for the paper piecing blocks.

It’s a scrap and 5″ charm-pack-friendly block. Instructions are included to make both 10.0″ and 8.0″ blocks. The 8.0″ blocks can be made from 5.0″ charm packs.

Half Square Triangle Pinwheel Paper Piecing Pattern | Whims And Fancies

Here is a photo of Montague on his quilt after he came back home. It has been a couple of months since his treatment. He is doing extremely well, happy, healthy and joined up with the rest of the family. Thank you for all your well wishes!!

Crafted Applique Giveaway Winner

Congratulations Nancy A for winning Lara’s Crafted Applique book! I will email you soon. I know you will enjoy Lara’s book very much!

Lego Harry Potter Quilt Along

I have a list of the blocks already. As soon as I finish figuring out the details, I will post about it. I am so excited, I just had to share it here already!

Happy Sewing,
-Soma

Linking up to the linky parties on my sidebar. They are great for finding new inspiration.

The Dancing Wind

Like the unpredictable wind, The Dancing Wind mini quilt turned out to be nothing like the quilt I had originally envisioned. I usually have a very good idea of the direction of my work starting from pattern writing all the way to the binding. Then, once in a while, a project comes along where it changes itself every step of the way. Over the years, I have learned to give in and let it take me for a ride. I love it when that happens, the unexpected turn is always exciting!

Kitty Love

This is the other quilt I made using the same pattern for my beloved orange kitty.

Pinwheel Star combines the pinwheel quilt pattern inset within a star quilt pattern. I named it that not just because it is a combination of Pinwheels and Stars, but also after the Pinwheel Galaxy.

The Pinwheel Star pattern is a set of two patterns which can be used to create at least four different blocks.

When I thought of this quilt a couple of years ago, I had in mind a more industrial theme. However, as I was putting the blocks together, I kept thinking about rivers flowing with meltwater at the edge of growing woods. So I put my unfinished blocks aside, swapped the off-white fabric for a dazzling white fabric and restarted.

Once I finished the quilt-top, I started thinking about the quilting design. I was walking in the park one afternoon and saw the tall grass swaying in the wind. That gave me the idea for the wavy line quilting in the middle as if the gentle wind is flowing through the woodland. The wind grew more dynamic playing on the waters. Once it reached the snow, it swirled and turned with the careless nature of the wild.

These ideas meant that I would have to set my walking foot aside and dive full-on into the world of FMQ, another deviation from the original plan. I am new to FMQ so it took a lot of work, but in the end I surfaced with a quilt that I love.

Robert Frost is one of my favourite poets and The Dancing Wind reminds me of

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

See you next Thursday, May 5th, for Wandering Camera.

Wandering Camera

-Soma

Pinwheel Vanes

Crafted Applique Giveaway Winner

Coming Soon

Lego Harry Potter Quilt Along

The Dancing Wind