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18+ Pinwheel Quilt Patterns

Imagine a whirlwind of creativity and artistry, captured in the graceful spin of a pinwheel quilt pattern. With its dynamic design and captivating symmetry, the pinwheel pattern has long been a beloved favorite among quilters, evoking a sense of energy and charm. From its origins as a symbol of joy and celebration to its amazing modern day twists, these lovely pinwheel quilt patterns continue to enchant and inspire generation of quilters. Check this roundup of free pinwheel quilt patterns, where each rotation tells a story of tradition, innovation, and the enduring magic of quilting.

Double pinwheel quilt block

This pattern is here to show you how to easily make those complex windmill blocks that use three colors to create a double windmill design, by making four identical squares with one diagonal half in color number one, and two smaller triangles in colors two and three, then placing them in two rows with each square oriented differently.

by Stacey-lee

How to make a pinwheel block in multiple sizes

It doesn’t matter whether you want big or small blocks on your quilt because this pattern comes in multiple sizes, all easy to make out of four half-square triangles that share the color scheme and combine into a miniature 2 x 2 grid to form a single windmill block.

by Southerncharmquilts

Easy pinwheel quilt blocks

This pattern will teach you how to make a windmill block in two variations, the first one with a windmill shape placed on a small square on a white background, and the second one that looks almost identical but doesn’t have the smaller square behind the windmill, and has a windmill that protrudes out of the fabric as if it were an origami windmill you stitched onto the fabric.

Pinwheels and postage stamps

Finished size: 32″x40″

The room you put this quilt in will turn a lot brighter thanks to its cheerful design with an extremely thin frame around a white background that has three rows of colorful windmills placed on top of it, with an addition of two rows of eight small checkered squares between the rows of windmills.

by Sewshesews

Disappearing pinwheel block (11 variations)

You’ve heard of two-in-one or three-in-one, but here’s something you probably haven’t heard of, an eleven-in-one pattern that shows you how to make different windmill blocks that all share an identical windmill design in their middle, with various alternatives to the pattern behind it, from stars to spirals and more.

by Teresadownunder

Pinwheel zipper pouch

Although this is a pattern for a single block, it’s also a pattern for an adorable zipper pouch that has a big pocket with a zipper closure and a slightly smaller open outer pocket with two rows of four windmill blocks in different colors on its front.

by Allpeoplequilt

Green pinwheels quilt pattern

Finished quilt: 92-1⁄2×104-1⁄2″

Finished block: 15″ square

Make a single block őt an entire quilt with this pattern that features a wide frame around its edges, and two more inner frames in different thicknesses, with a big white rectangle that has many small windmills around four cross shapes made of triangles and a single star in their middle, surrounded by four windmills, one per each quarter of the cross.

by Allpeoplequilt

Pinwheel pals

Finished quilt: 56-1⁄2 ×72-1⁄2″

Finished blocks: 8″ square

This pattern can help you make a single block or an entire quilt that features a 9 x 7 grid of blocks that alternate between plain novelty fabric squares and windmill blocks that consist of four half-square triangles in contrasting colors oriented to combine into a big windmill shape.

by Allpeoplequilt

Pinwheel star quilt block

Finished block: 12″ square

Here’s a block that’s a bit addictive to make thanks to its design that boasts a large sawtooth star that has a contrasting square inside it with a diagonally oriented windmill block made of four half-square triangles placed on top, all made from half-square triangles in matching and contrasting colors.

by Allpeoplequilt

Warm breeze pinwheel quilt block

Finished quilt: 52-1⁄2″ square

Finished block: 16″ square

The block or quilt you can whip up with this pattern has a dark double frame around the edges with colorful squares inside the gap, and a pastel main area with four pinwheels that have petals in two contrasting colors, with two squares in different colors set slightly apart around each petal.

by Allpeoplequilt

3D Pinwheel Table Runner Pattern

Your guests will be thrilled when they come over for dinner and see this table runner with a white rectangle in its middle and many colorful blocks around it that have pinwheels folded up in origami-style stitched onto their top side as three-dimensional motifs that look magnificent.

Dutchmen’s puzzle pinwheel quilt block

This pattern is like an upgrade for the usual windmill block because it takes the design with the four half-square triangles and adds twelve more half-square triangles around it to give the pinwheel a differently colored set of blades around the original ones and make them larger and more twisted.

by Bonjourquilts

Fancy pinwheel quilt pattern

Get fancy with this chic quilt that emanates positive sentiments with its pure white background that has a 5 x 4 grid of pinwheel blocks with small contrasting windmills inside them and small diagonally oriented hourglass blocks around the corners of all blocks except the outermost ones.

by Littleislandquilting

Wonky pinwheels or whirligigs

Pinwheels don’t need those precise and sharp corners on their blades to be charismatic, as you can see on this beautiful and adorable quilt that has a thin border on a dark contrasting base with an 8 x 5 grid of blocks that have windmills with straight tips instead of pointy, so they have a special cartoonish charm to them.

by Mystrandz

Mini pinwheel quilt pattern

Your next quilt will look adorable and creative with this block on it, featuring a frame around its borders and a basic white base inside, with a pinwheel that has four rectangles with one of the long edges at an angle, placed so they rest on each other and form a windmill that has straight blade tips instead of pointy ones.

by Redpepperquilts

Pinwheel within a start quilt block

This gorgeous block looks complex but when you break it down it isn’t all that complicated because it’s just a sawtooth star with each quarter in a different color, a white square frame inside it, and a windmill on a white square in its center, placed on a solid white background.

by Haniesquilts

Pinwheel pizzas

Finished size: 32 ” x 36″

Get lost in colors on this lovely quilt that has a vibrant border and a white base inside it that features a 6 x 7 grid of blocks that have windmill shapes with straight blade tips set on contrasting squares and surrounded by small squares in various colors around the corners of each block.

by Joscountryjunction

Pinwheel parade

Have a parade in your room with this quilt that lets out nothing but positive vibes with its colorful border and a 4 x 4 grid of large windmill blocks in many different colors and white lines between them that extend to the quilt edges so they make small squares in the outermost corners of the quilt.

by Joscountryjunction

All these windmills could make you feel like you’re suddenly in Holland! Which of these patterns will you use and where will you place the quilts you make with them? Share your ideas with everyone in the comments! Feel free to subscribe to the mailing list if you like to get news about fresh content like this. Have fun quilting pinwheels!