How to sew triangles

Equilateral triangles (or 60 degree triangles) are an essential shape for upping your patchwork game. We're here to show you how to cut and sew them together to make your own triangle quilts!

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Published: August 25, 2020 at 5:27 am

An equilateral triangle is one with three sides of equal lengths and three angles (corners) all 60-degrees. It’s really simple to cut and sew rows of equilateral triangles together quickly (and accurately) on your sewing machine. Jeni Baker shows us how in her foolproof guide...

This tutorial was first featured in issue 1 of Love Patchwork and Quilting magazine. If you like fun quilting tutorials involving triangles, you might also like our complete guide to Flying Geese Quilts.

Top tip: combine six triangles to make a hexagon. Paired with plain hexies, it’s a clever twist on a classic patchwork.

Triangle quilt pattern
Build up rows and blocks of triangles to create a triangle quilt. Pictured: Jeni Baker's Trios Lap Quilt from Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine, issue 1.

How to cut 60 degree triangles

You can measure and cut triangles quickly and easily with a quilting ruler.

Step 1

Cut a strip of fabric the width of the height of your triangles. For the Trios Lap Quilt this is 3½in.

Step 2

Place your ruler on the fabric strip with the 60-degree line along the top edge of the fabric strip. The cutting edge of the ruler will be at a 60-degree angle.

Step 3

Cut along this line. Discard the end piece of fabric.

How to cut fabric triangles Figure 1
Figure 1

Step 4

Mark your fabric strip at intervals to mark the width of the triangle – for the Trios Lap Quilt this is 4in. Move the ruler so that the other 60-degree line is along the bottom edge of the fabric strip and line it up with the 4in mark on the bottom of the strip. If measured correctly, the ruler will intersect your previous cut to form an equilateral triangle.

How to cut fabric triangles Figure 2
Figure 2

Step 5

Make the cut – this is your first triangle.

Step 6

Move the ruler again so that 60-degree line is along the top edge of the fabric strip again, this time lining it up with the 4in mark on the top of the strip. Make the cut – this is your second equilateral triangle. Continue like this all the way along the strip, alternating the ruler position with each cut to make as many triangles as the fabric will allow.

how to cut fabric triangles figure 3
Figure 3

How to sew triangles

Now you've cut a batch of triangles from your fabric, it's time to sew them together. Here's how...

Step 1

Take two equilateral triangles, one print fabric and one solid.

How to sew triangles step 1Place the solid triangle onto the print triangle, right sides together, with all edges aligned.

How to sew triangles step 2

Step 2

Using a scant ¼in seam allowance, sew along the right-hand side of the triangles.

How to sew triangles step 3

How to sew triangles step 4Open the piece and press the seam open.

How to sew triangles step 5

Step 3

Place the next print triangle on the pieced unit, right sides together and aligned at the top unstitched edge, and then sew along the right-hand side.

how to sew triangles step 6
how to sew triangles step 7

Open the piece and press the seam open.

how to sew triangles step 8

how to sew triangles step 9Add the next triangle in the same way, but align it at the unstitched edge at the bottom. Continue in this way to join an entire row.

Step 4

For the second row, start with a solid triangle. Repeat steps 1–3 to piece this row.

How to sew triangles 10

Step 5

Place the triangle rows right sides together, lining up the seam and row edges.

How to sew triangles 11
Place the two rows of triangles together to form a hexagon

How to sew triangles 12
Place the two rows, right sides together, lining up the long seam

How to sew triangles 13
Line up the seams of the two rows.

How to sew triangles 14Pin in place.

Step 6

Sew the rows together using a scant ¼in seam allowance.

How to sew triangles step 15Press the seam open.

How to sew triangles step 16Lightly press all over to complete.

How to sew triangles step 17