Pinwheel baby quilt

Confident beginner38 × 46" finished20 blocks of 8"

The friendliest way into half-square triangles: four make a pinwheel, and the plan tells you exactly how many squares to cut.

Blocks: Pinwheel. Layout 4 across × 5 down, quilt top 32 × 40".

Fabric requirements

Coral 1 piece size, 8 strips	1 yd
White 2 piece sizes, 5 strips	⅞ yd
Sky blue 3 piece sizes, 7 strips	1 yd
Backing one piece for the backing	2¾ yd
Total (⅛ yd extra per fabric)	5⅝ yd

Quilting cotton 42" usable width. Batting at least 46 × 54" (Twin (72 × 90")). 84 pieces in all, 86% of the cut fabric ends up in the quilt.

Every size gets its own exact cutting plan and fabric amounts, worked out again from the blocks, not scaled up by guesswork.

Cut 5 strips 2½" × width of fabric for the binding.
- Join end to end with diagonal seams, press open, then fold in half lengthwise and press.
Cut 2 strips 4⅞" × width of fabric.
- From each strip, cut 8 squares 4⅞ × 4⅞" (A1).
Cut 1 strip 4⅞" × width of fabric.
- From the strip, cut 4 squares 4⅞ × 4⅞" (A1).

Cut 2 strips 4⅞" × width of fabric.
- From each strip, cut 8 squares 4⅞ × 4⅞" (B1).
Cut 1 strip 4⅞" × width of fabric.
- From the strip, cut 4 squares 4⅞ × 4⅞" (B1).
- From the rest of the strip, cut 4 squares 4⅞ × 4⅞" (B2).
Cut 2 strips 4⅞" × width of fabric.
- From each strip, cut 8 squares 4⅞ × 4⅞" (B2).

Cut 2 strips 4⅞" × width of fabric.
- From each strip, cut 8 squares 4⅞ × 4⅞" (C3).
Cut 1 strip 4⅞" × width of fabric.
- From the strip, cut 4 squares 4⅞ × 4⅞" (C3).
Cut 2 strips 3½" × width of fabric.
- From each strip, cut 1 rectangle 3½ × 40½" (C1).
Cut 2 strips 3½" × width of fabric.
- From each strip, cut 1 rectangle 3½ × 38½" (C2).

For the backing, cut 2 pieces 46" long.
- Trim the selvages and join along the long edges with ½" seams.

All cut sizes include ¼" seam allowances. Finishing: backing 46 × 54" in 2 pieces, binding 5 strips × 2½".

Swap in photos of your own fabric, plan it from everything in your stash, and tick off every cut in Cut Mode as you go.