Help with fabric calculations
 

Hi,
i am trying to figure out the fabric I will need for a whirlwind quilt. The directions to make a 12 inch whirlwind block say to cut 1 strip 5" X WOF fabric 1 and 2. Sew the 2 strips together. sub cut the strips into 9" squares, then slice each square in half diagonally. then use 4 triangles to create a 12" block.

I want to make a queen size quilt with sashing between the blocks. I am so confused!

Please all you seasoned quilters help out a newbie!

Can’t help but when cutting your angle, same fabric must always be on top or the “spin” will be the opposite way.

Ok, talking it out while I type. For those that have already had their coffee, correct me if I counted or multiplied wrong.

So with one WoF, you should get 4 9" blocks, plus a pretty good hunk of scrap. Very unlikely to get 5 blocks, most fabrics I figure with a usable 40-42" width. It will take 2 blocks to make the 4 triangles so you will get 2 blocks per WoF.

As Tranum said, watch the spin! Always cut from the same side of the fabric in the same direction. I just did a project and had I folded the fabric I would have gotten half the pieces unusable for my design. I write myself a big note on a full piece of typing paper with a diagram and something like "right side white on top, cut left to right" in big letters.

Ok, so there is no one set size for a quilt. I'm usually aiming for about 100 inches in length, and about 80+ inches in width for a queen sized.

6x7 12" blocks is a pretty good place to start. That would make it 72x84 without sashing or a border. Add 14" for 2" sashing across, for 86" wide. 16" for the length which puts you right at 100". You can use less blocks and wider sashing or add a border as well.

6x7 = 42, and you get two blocks per WoF, so you need 21 WoF rows, or 105" which would be 3 yards (108") of each fabric if you use only two fabrics -- note: That does not include the sashing. And that works out exactly to the 6-12 yards that I expect to use to make a queen sized quilt!

Otherwise, you should be able to get the two blocks out of a fat quarter (watching your cutting).

All I know is it will be beautiful.

Since this is a "math" question I will not be able to help you. However, I want to say that is going to be a beautiful block & if all the others are similar, I'm going to love, love, love that quilt. I'm not quite understanding about the spin of the block & how to cut the fabric but I'm not going to worry about that unless I decide to make a block like yours. :) Sometimes things just don't click in my brain like they should. :hunf: Can we see the progress of this quilt as you move on with it?

Thank you IceBlossom! I had a major brain freeze and could not figure this out! I got the pattern from a free site - I hope it is ok to post it here
https://www.sewcanshe.com/blog/2016/...nd-quilt-block

I haven't decided if I want the florals all the same or to have a variety. I am excited to have fun at the fabric store!

How did you cut the pieces for the block that you have pictured?

I tried to follow the instructions you gave - and I was unable to duplicate the look of that block.

Bearisgray, here's how this method works. Each 4 squares will give you two
Twin Sister blocks but one will be the negative of the other.

http://vroomansquilts.blogspot.com/2...-blog-hop.html

Found a different method to make all the blocks same instead of negative/positive
but it does not involve strip piecing. It can also be paper-pieced. :)
http://www.blocklotto.com/2019/03/ap...-twin-sisters/

That I understand . Thank you for the link.

I looked at the tutorial you offered. Please note that it says to cut those squares at 9 1/2", not 9". Are you wanting all of your blocks to have the patterned fabric in the center? Apparently this will make one top with the pattern and one with the solid as the whirlwind. While the tutorial didn't show it finished, I'm assuming the two can be sewn together to create another design rather than sashing each block. (Hoping the seam doesn't misplace the connection of the two.) This would make an interesting play with your eyes! Thanks for sharing! I'm currently enjoying Eleanor Burns' Kaleidoscope/Donna Jordan's Summer Breeze patterns that create play on the eyes, too. Trying this one may be my next endeavor. It's fun to see how the same block makes different designs.

Oops! Just looked at that pattern again and at the beginning it mentions that these may not nest together well. But I might try that just to see how it goes.