Perfect patchwork triangle piecing
Triangle patchwork looks amazing when it’s done right. Many crafters steer clear as it can be hard to get the lines neat and the points sharp. Follow our step-by-step guide and you’ll be piecing the neatest triangles in no time.
Let’s start triangle piecing!
Materials and equipment needed
- Quarter inch foot for your sewing machine (find the right foot for your machine here)
- Small ruler with a clear ¼” mark
- Sharp pins
- Iron
- Sewing machine, like the Innov-is NV1300
Tip: Before cutting, press all your fabric with a pressing agent, available at most supermarkets, to make it crisp and flat. You don’t need to use a pressing agent, but it will help you achieve the sharp corners needed for triangle patchwork piecing.
Use one of the following ways to cut your triangles:
- Use a template. Draw around it with a fabric pen and cut with your rotary cutter and a ruler.
- Cut triangles using the 60-degree angle line on your quilt ruler.
- Cut them on your ScanNCut.
Step 1
Cut your triangles as per your pattern or use the downloadable template we’ve provided. Make sure they are cut exactly to size. Lay them out in your preferred pattern.
The way to piece this is to add triangles together to form rows, and then to add the rows to each other.
Step 2
Place the first two triangles together – right sides facing and the same sized sides aligned precisely. Sew a ¼” seam. Press (you can choose to open the seams or keep them closed).
Step 3
Place the third triangle. Line it up with one side exactly matching, and the other side matching to the dog ear formed by the previous seam. Pin and sew.
Step 4
Check and measure. What you should see is that the sewing goes straight into the corner formed by one triangle overlapping with the other. Check your measurements, as accuracy is the key!
Step 5
Sew all the triangles you need for each strip together to form long strips. Press. Measure.
Step 6
Now you can sew the strips together. Push a pin through the point where the two seams intersect.
Step 7
Now push the pin through the front of the same point on the next strip.
Step 8
Push the fabrics together but keep the pin perpendicular with the fabric.Place pins on either side, or horizontally below the first pin. Once you have pinned securely, the first pin can be removed.
Step 9
Sew the strips together with ¼” seams. If your machine has a laser guideline, this is a great time to use it!A stylus is also handy to make sure the fabric stays put – this one has a rubber covered tip which is particularly effective for this kind of thing.
We used our piece of triangle piecing to make a pretty tote bag. What will you make with yours?
We can’t wait to see what you make! Remember to tag in Brother on Instagram and Facebook so we can share your makes and inspire others.
