How to Make a Simple Triangle Quilt with Fat Quarters

This triangle quilt is speedy to sew and a great project for a beginning quilter. It can be made from scrap fabrics or from a precut Fat Quarter package of fabric. If you like this quilt project, you may also enjoy this Free Hexagon Quilt Pattern. 

Several years ago, I made a quilt for my oldest daughter to take with her to college. Before she graduated High School, she picked out some fabric that she liked for a quilt for her dorm room.  She went with Out to Sea by Sarah Jane, as she’s a huge fan of pink and navy.

Table of Contents

• How to Make a Triangle Quilt
• Quilt Size
• How Much Fabric Do I Need?
• Step 1: How to Cut the Triangles
• Step 2: Lay out the Cut Triangles
• Step 3: Sew the Triangles Together in Rows
• Step 4: Press
• Step 5: Assemble
• Free Triangle Quilt Pattern
• How I Quilted My Triangle Quilt

She wanted a simple and graphic quilt design that would work with a large variety of novelty fabrics.

In addition to pink and navy, she loves all things nautical. Her plans included a semester abroad in London, so I created a selection of Fat Quarters of fabric to create the quilt.

I tried to incorporate a few additional novelty prints into the design as well.

{this post has been updated from a previous version}

To best show off a variety of prints in the quilt and to keep it from becoming too busy, a simple triangle quilt is the best choice.

The pieces are large enough to showcase the prints and colors and are easier to work with than smaller pieces for beginning quilters.

How to Make a Triangle Quilt

The example quilt is made from a basket of scraps. Because of this, you won’t find a “precise” fabric requirement list. Instead, you will find a set of instructions to make your own scrappy triangle quilt!

If you don’t have a large basket of scraps to choose from, I recommend purchasing a Fat Quarter pack of fabric. It will yield enough fabric to make this quilt or one a little bit larger.

Quilt Size

This quilt can be any size you like! Since it’s constructed from triangles, it’s not a simple “grid” math system to calculate the finished size. I recommend using this quilt calculator if you’re trying to make your quilt a specific size.

I know it can seem intimidating to sew this way, especially if you’re new to quilting. Don’t be afraid to make something your own! There are no quilt “rules” that you have to live by. This quilt can be any size you’d like!

My Quilt is approx. 46″ x 72″, which is a great size for a lap or baby quilt.

How Much Fabric Do I Need?

As for fabric yardage estimates, I think this quilt is best made “scrappy.” With that in mind, it works well for a “stash buster” quilt. Meaning you can use up some of your stashed and leftover fabrics while making it.

Most fat quarter packs have 24 fat quarters; you can get six triangles (8 ½″ tall) from one fat quarter giving you more than enough for a quilt.

If you want to make your quilt the exact size as mine, you will need 17 fat quarters.

Step 1: How to Cut the Triangles

To make this quilt, all you really need is ANY 60-degree triangle ruler.

The quilt is made by cutting triangles using the Creative Grids 60-degree ruler. My triangles are 9 ¾″ wide by 8 ½″ tall after they are cut out.

If you use a larger triangle ruler, you will end up with a larger quilt. Double-check your fabric yardage requirements if you decide to use a larger ruler. There are a lot of 60-degree rulers on the market if you’d like to make your quilt with another size of triangle.

Cut 99 triangles using this ruler.

Step 2: Lay out the Cut Triangles

(sorry for the blurry photo, this was taken before I had a “good” camera)

When working with any quilt layout, I recommend using a design wall.

A design wall is any blank wall that will allow you to preview the layout of your quilt before it’s sewn together.

In any quilt, but especially in a scrappy quilt like this one, it’s important to balance out the lights and darks and specific colors. For example, you don’t want all of the navy squares to end up in the same spot on the finished quilt.

Lay out 11 triangles across by nine rows of triangles. You can make it wider if you want; add one more triangle to the end of the row.

Note: (the triangles on the end are trimmed in half so that you have a straight edge to work with when making your quilt). The finished quilt features nine triangles across plus two half triangles (one on each end).

Step 3: Sew the Triangles Together in Rows

Remove the fabric triangles from the design wall in order and sew them together. One row at a time.

TIP: Make sure that you label your rows as you sew to put them back together in the correct order. I use a Post-it note and a pin to number the rows.

Step 4: Press

Press the seams to one side and label the row, then move on to sewing the next row. Keep doing that until all the rows are sewn together.

Step 5: Assemble

After that, sew the rows together.

Free Triangle Quilt Pattern

This quilt is constructed almost identically to my Halloween Hexagon Quilt it just features triangles instead of hexagons.  Cut out the shapes, arrange them as you like, then sew them together in rows.

I prefer this type of “figure it out as you go” quilting technique. If you’ve never made a quilt this way, give it a try! It’s a great way to exercise your creative muscles.

How I Quilted My Triangle Quilt

I considered free motion quilting the quilt (or even sending it out to be quilted), then I decided with all of the straight lines on the quilt that it would look best with straight line quilting.

My BERNINA 710 is a dream for this kind of project, and I was able to finish quilting it in about an hour or so. I quilted my stitching lines ¼″ from the outside of the seams on both sides of the seam.

I used 40 WT white thread for the top and 50 WT thread in my bobbin. I love how the stitches on the top look with the heavier 40 WT thread; they are so nice and distinct.

More Quilt Projects to Try:

• Quilt Block Construction Tips
• Easy Scrappy Strips Baby Quilt Tutorial & Quilt Pattern
• How to Make Half Square Triangle Quilt Blocks
• 45+ Beginner Quilt Patterns