Workshops & Lectures

Length: 1/2 day (3 hours)

Project: Pinwheel spiral block

Skill Level: All levels

Prerequisites: Basic sewing skills

Fee: Click on "Booking/Registration" at left

Materials Fee: $5 per student

Learn to draw, color and sew a Pinwheel spiral in any shape. Pinwheel spirals look almost identical to Nesting spirals, but they can do some cool things that Nesting spirals can't -- like sawtooth edges and steering curves. You'll have time in class to sew one Pinwheel spiral block. The materials list includes enough fabric for two blocks, and a pattern is provided for finishing them into a pair of pot holders. This class is based on RaNae's book Simply Amazing Spiral Quilts.

Class kit includes preprinted foundations for Pinwheel spiral blocks, sewing instructions, a pattern and batting for two pot holders.

Click on "Materials & Prep List" at left for detailed materials list. RaNae's book Simply Amazing Spiral Quilts is recommended, and will be available for purchase at the workshop. (The basic information covered in this class is also contained in her second book Magnificent Spiral Mandala Quilts.) To purchase books and materials before the workshop, click on "STORE" above.

NOTE TO PRESENTERS: If you are scheduling the Pinwheel Spirals workshop along with the Nesting or Baravelle Spirals workshops, please schedule Nesting and/or Baravelle Spirals before Pinwheel spirals.

----------------------
Text versions of materials info to cut-and-paste in newsletter/website/etc.

Fabrics for class: (Enough for two potholders) Light color for spiral block (at least one color): ¼ yard. Dark color for spiral block (at least one color): ¼ yard. (One or both spiral fabrics should be solids, textures, tone-on-tones or small prints. If you use a print for one fabric, the other must be a solid.) Fabric for fussy-cut center (optional): two 2½" squares with fussy-cut design in center. Back of pot holder and binding (if this is one of fabrics in spiral, ¼ yard listed above is not needed in addition to this): ⅝ yard (See mat’ls list at www.ranaemerrillquilts.com/teaching/119 for more detail.)

Tools: Basic sewing supplies; scissors for paper; rotary cutter, ruler and mat; Add-a-Quarter tool*; iron or seam roller*; masking or painter’s tape; permanent double-sided tape; Scotch tape; pencil; fine-point permanent black pen; white paper; 2 highlighter pens in different colors.
* = Available for purchase in class.

Sewing machine set-up: Straight stitch; 75/11 or 80/12 needle; open-toe or clear center-groove foot; neutral or matching thread for sewing.

[4-8-11]