4 Modern Quilting Patterns to Help You Wrangle the Triangle

✓Our best-selling online course is back and better than ever! APQS Longarm Certification Sponsored by Quilting Daily has been revised and updated. Not only will you learn how to make beautiful quilts, you’ll also gain skills to turn your passion into a paycheck with tips on how to run your own quilting business.

Triangles are found in so many modern quilting patterns and it’s easy to see why they’re popular. The three lines and three angles that make up a triangle can be modified to create diversity. Triangles can be equal on all sides; they can be short and squat, or tall and skinny. Quilt designs can focus on the form of the triangle or they can use it as a building block to create more complex shapes.

We can construct a range of triangles using fabric and thread. Of course, there are the classic quilt blocks including Flying Geese and Half-Square Triangles. Then we can increase the variety by implementing Half-Rectangle Triangles and improvisational blocks. Triangles can be pieced traditionally, appliquéd, and paper-pieced.

In celebration of this simple shape that has the power to create such dynamic quilts, I’ve gathered four modern quilting patterns that are sure to help you wrangle the triangle.

Giant Chevron Quilt

This graphic quilt designed by Brenda Ratliff highlights Flying Gees blocks. The large blocks and use of negative space make this modern quilt easy to complete in a weekend, or even an afternoon if you’re a speedy quilter (which I am not). There is so much room to make this quilt unique; my mind is whirling at the endless possibilities. Try using all solid fabrics or a mix of solids and prints. Maybe your background fabric remains neutral in color or maybe it becomes bold and vibrant. What if the quilt was monochromatic?

Angled Flight Quilt

What’s not to love about this vibrant quilt designed by Rosemarie DeBoer? The contrast between the bright and low-volume print fabrics paired with the size and arrangement of the Half-Square Triangles create a sense of movement across the quilt. I love the way the subtle differences between the solids and ombrés in half of the square and the quiet patterns in the other half invite me to take a closer look. Mix it up by choosing your own color palette; try bold prints, pretty pastels, or make a scrappy version using the leftover 10” squares in your stash.

Yellow on a Gray Day

I confess gray and yellow is quite possibly my favorite color combination. But that’s not the only reason I find this quilt by Barbara Parsons Cartier so riveting. The modern quilting pattern she creates using Half-Square Rectangles would be gorgeous no matter what fabrics she chose. By using one fabric consistently in half of the quilt blocks, Barbara was able to make the more complex diamond shapes. The white background fabric and echo quilting really make those elongated diamond shapes float!

Through the Forest Table Runner

This effervescent table runner by Lee Chappell Monroe is the perfect addition to any table! Use fusible appliqué to create a forest of trees as you overlap the fabric triangles that are slightly different sizes. Augment the depth created by the overlapping by experimenting with different fabric colors and values in the background and foreground of your table runner. While I am partial to the vibrant colors Lee used, you can easily adapt this pattern to suit the season or your home décor. Can you imagine russet and reds for autumn or snowy silver with a range of blue for the winter months?

Are you ready to tackle triangles quilts? Explore modern quilting patterns of all shapes and sizes at The Quilting Company. Discover your next project today!

Happy quilting!

Brenna's Signature