by Sarah Fielke

This block can be made in many ways, including piecing the curve into the square, machine appliqué and ironing over cardboard – this is how I made the blocks, and in my usual slightly relaxed style, did it pretty quickly and easily. If you are wanting to make a perfect, exact version of this block, you are probably best to paper piece it.

My block is kind of a bastardisation of a Drunkard’s Path block and a Pinwheel Circle block. A little easier and not so difficult or accurate! And much quicker.

I have made my blocks quite small, they finish at 5” square. You can use the same ratios as I have to make your blocks larger.

Step 1.

For one block, take two co-ordinating fabrics and cut two 2” squares and two 1 1/2” squares from each.

Sew the 2” squares into a four patch.



Press all of the seams OPEN, not to one side.



Step 2.

Draw a circle just inside the seams of the four patch.



You can do this by using a compass, or a pencil, a piece of string and a pin.



Step 3.

Draw a second circle using the pencil 1/8” inside the first line you drew. Cut the circle out on the outside line.



Step 4.

Using the same method, but without sewing the squares together first, draw a quarter circle onto all of the 1 1/2” squares and cut them out.



Step 5.

Cut out a square for the background that is 5” square. Make sure that the background block has contrast to your circle fabrics.



Fold the square into quarters and finger press the crease.

Step 6.

Put small dots of appliqué glue (I recommend Patchwork With Busy Fingers glue, available from my Sew n’Sell shop link) and, using the creased lines on the background as a guide, glue the circle to the background.


Step 7.

Next glue the quarter circles to the corners of the background in the same manner.



Wait a moment for the glue to dry.

Step 8.

Applique the circles to the background by turning the edges of the circles under 1/8” and slipstitching in place with matching cotton.

Step 9.

Make more blocks until you are happy with the size of your quilt and repeat! Enjoy…..



Some other examples of “circular” quilts….



This quilt was made by Sue Daley of Patchwork With Busy Fingers and is paper pieced. You can buy a kit for the papers to make this quilt at her website.



This Jockey’s Cap quilt was made by Kaffe Fassett and inspired by an antique quilt in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.



This is an example of an antique Hearts and Gizzards quilt.