Four Patch HST (Boston Block) Tutorial

When I met Zoanna for the first time, she shared with me her love of pinwheels. She said "I just love the movement of the pinwheels. If I had to choose just one pattern to make for the rest of my quilting life it would be pinwheels."

Look at this, this is what I want to make next.
Please don't. At least, not yet.
Why not?
Because, I promise I can show you a simpler, quicker and cleaner method of making these blocks.

Zoanna agreed.

Here is me delivering on my promise. The block is called Boston Block, I think. I am going to call it Four Patch Half Square Triangle block. Here are the steps with pictures.

 4-PHST

Fabric Requirements

• 4 charm squares - dark color
• 4 charm squares - white or other pale/neutral background color
• 2 squares - 9.5" by 9.5" of lighter color

1. Make two identical four patch blocks, using the charm squares.

 Place right sides together.

 Chain piece.

Open, iron and chain piece again.

Our two 4-patches are now complete. They measure 9.5" square.

2. Now, place each lighter blue square right sides together with the 4-patch. Stitch on all four sides using a quarter inch seam. 

 3. Now, this is the exciting part. Cut the stitched 4-patch + lighter blue square on the diagonal, from corner to corner both ways. See picture below.

Open the fold and see the magic :-D Neat, isn't it?

That is a Boston Block or 4-PHST

Open all four of them. Set aside.
Cut the other 4-patch + lighter blue square in the same way.

And open them too. Now, you will have eight 4-PHSTs. Here is the important thing - Four of them look alike and the other four are mirror images. See picture below. 

Each 4-PHST measures 6 1/4". You can square them to 6". This is a good time to starch and iron the blocks and start playing...
Here are some of the ways you can put this block together...

I love this twisty block :-) Looks way more complicated but was so simple.

Another variation

Look at that S-pattern - like the movement of the colors...

Look at this - zig zag with pizzaz...

Here is my new favorite...If you look hard, you can see the 3-dimensional effect of a cube.

And here you are, for Zoanna, the PINWHEELS, whee...

These 8 Boston Blocks will give you two pinwheels - one going clockwise and one going anti-clockwise.  Remember, you need to make these in pairs because one set will give two blocks of one kind and two that are mirror images. You need four of a kind to make one pinwheel.

Reasons to love this method
1. It is FAST. You get eight blocks at once.
2. You only cut once per block.
3. Reduces bias.
4. Does not require any special rulers.

If you liked this tutorial, please leave me a comment. Your comments make my day - they are like an e-pat on the back :-)