Good morning:)
I have made hundreds of the windings ways (wheel of mystery) quilt blocks and want you to know it can be loads of fun. Please use the technique from Marti Michell...who also sells well made templates for block.
You basically have three template pieces. The long skinny piece is what I will call the connector. Sew two connectors together on the short seam at the end. Press this seam open.
Put this long skinny pieced unit aside.
Assemble the corner sections of the actual corner piece and the shield-like piece. Attach two of these sets together with a single connector. You will have created a new strip of patches. Make two of these new strip sets (top and bottom). Attach top and bottom strip set to the long skinny connector set you made first.
Success! No pulling the hair out.
Several years ago I hand pieced my first winding ways quilt from a soft pastel batik set precut by John Flynn of the quilting frame fame. Unfortunately, I made the complete 1/4 block and then attached them in the center. UGH :(
Now I realize John Flynn still sells the laser precut kits and they are wonderful. I have ordered his templates because he has such a variety. Even with regular woven quilting cotton, you'll be able to rotary cut and machine piece with ease if you have good templates and use the above method.
Literally, I found Marti Michell's technique and templates 8.5 finished block in the April, 2005 Quilter's World magazine pages 24-30. Her website is www.frommarti.com She now has templates for 6 in. finished, 8.5 in. finished, and 11 inch finished blocked. I double checked her site this am.
Your idea is terrific and I know that you will have so much fun doing this project. It really looks complicated, but you now know the secret :)