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Pop of Pinwheel Quilt Block

July 31, 2026

A pinwheel also needs wind. And with our actions, and our intentions, we can be that wind.

Josh Charles

Pinwheels entertained and mesmerized me when I was young. Now that I'm not young — what a kind way to say "older" 😂 — I still think pinwheels are amazing and that people of all ages should take more time to watch the wind work its magic in colorful, joyful ways.

Just think...

What would happen if we came upon a field of pinwheels, spinning in a pleasant breeze? Would we put our phones down to admire them? Would we pick one up and breathe life into it, making it spin even faster? Perhaps we'd even hold it in the air, twirling to make rainbows. What would that feel like? How would that be?

I think it would be quite lovely!

Taffy Apple Pizza

Look around. Pinwheels are everywhere. Particularly in art, but also in food. Any type of rolled pastry or pig-in-a-blanket looks like a pinwheel. Tortilla pinwheels appeal to our eye in the same way we love an actual pinwheel in motion.

This Pampered Chef recipe for Taffy Apple Pizza is one of my absolute favorite desserts, and the way I arrange the apples on top has that fun, inviting look of a pinwheel. Just look at how pretty it turns out...

Quilts often mimic this effect with a very popular block.

Pinwheel Quilt Block

The traditional — and most basic — pinwheel quilt block uses four half-square triangles (HSTs).

There are an endless array of variations and iterations of the pinwheel block. For my Pop of Pinwheel design, I simply added a frame of additional HSTs to make the pinwheel points longer and to give the impression it's spinning.

My instructions use the "Eight-at-a-Time" method for making the HST units, so there is very little cutting or trimming. It's wonderful practice for creating sharp points that don't disappear into the seam allowance. As always, my recommendation is to pin, pin, pin!

Here are the block instructions: Pop of Pinwheel Quilt Block

Fifty Shades of Gray

(Not THAT Fifty Shades of Gray 😂)

Pop of Pinwheel is part of a fabulous, year-long quilt-along that's all about shades of gray.

Throughout 2026, an army of quilt designers are sharing a collection of fifty complimentary 6" block designs that use shades of gray plus one pop of color.

Yellow is my all-time most favorite color 💛 It's so cheerful and happy! I'm using it for my accent color in all fifty of my "shades of gray" blocks. Together, grays and yellows combine to create an energetic balance that is both modern and uplifting. I can't wait to see how it comes together as we fly through 2026.

One block a week is perfect for new quilters wanting to learn techniques and build skills, and one block a week is not too much for an experienced quilter to add to their project pile. So, please join me!