How to Quilt with Triangles Beginners’ Series

Jul 26, 2022

Join BERNINA Ambassador Loyalist, Bonnie Browning, for the new class: AQS Let’s Quilt: Beginners’ Series with Bonnie – Quilting with Triangles

Beginners and Intermediate quilters will learn new techniques and many tips for using triangles in your quilts – Half-Square Triangles, Quarter-Square Triangles, and Flying Geese, while making this fun 36″ x 36″ quilt. All sewing is done on the BERNINA 770 QE, made especially for quilters.

Two colorways are provided, but you can choose any color scheme you want. Five fabrics are used in this quilt.

There are six lessons with downloadable instructions for each.

Lesson #1: Materials & Cutting Fabric

Gather your materials to make this four-block quilt using Half-Square Triangles, Quarter-Square Triangles, and Flying Geese blocks. Put a new blade in your rotary cutter and you’ll be ready to cut the fabric for your quilt. If you would rather have a different color scheme, choose light, medium, and dark fabrics as listed in the Fabric requirements.

Lesson 1: Materials & Cutting Fabrics PDF Download

Lesson #2: Half-Square Triangles & How to Sew Them

Learn several ways to sew Half-Square Triangles (HSTs). We will be using the Simple Half-Square Method and the Multiple Half-Square Method. We will be sewing squares together, so we won’t be cutting any triangles, eliminating the need to sew cut bias edges together. Time to sew some HSTs!

Lesson 2: Half-Square Triangles & How to Sew Them PDF Download

Lesson #3: Quarter-Square Triangles

In the last lesson, we learned how to sew HSTs. Now we will use those HSTs to make Quarter-Square Triangles (QSTs) using three colors.

Lesson 3: Quarter-Square Triangles PDF Download

Lesson #4: Stitching Four Blocks

Now it is time to sew the four blocks together. Learn how to use a “positioning” pin to align the seams accurately. That is the best trick I ever learned! It eliminates a lot of ripping when the seams don’t match.

Lesson 4: Stitching Four Blocks PDF Download

Lesson #5: Flying Geese Borders

The borders are made up of five Flying Geese blocks. Learn the Simple and No Waste Flying Geese Methods for sewing Flying Geese. Sew five Flying Geese blocks together for each side of the quilt. The top and bottom borders have a plain block sewn on each end.

Lesson 5: Flying Geese Borders PDF Download

Lesson #6: Quilting & Finishing

Ready to try some machine quilting with the feed dogs up and a walking foot so the fabric feeds smoothly? We’ll stitch-in-the-ditch on all of the seams. Then we will outline the quilt with the edge of the foot placed against the seam line, or choose another quilting design for your quilt! And don’t forget the label!

Lesson 6: Quilting & Finishing PDF Download