It’s here!
Roots and Wings is in stores now! I love the colors in this line….deep, rich tones of coral, blue, brown, and kelly green – perfect for fall. We have two new patterns available with this line, Squared Away, a pattern easy enough for a beginner, and an applique pattern with those adorable birds and flowers!
We are also working on a dress pattern, that should be ready shortly. Now, on to a fun project!
Roots and Wings Quick Triangle Quilt
I have had this pinned forever, and have wanted to make one, and Roots and Wings was the perfect fit! It is so quick, you can easily start and finish the top in a day…or less! I used the following tutorials to help me – Fancy Tiger Crafts (original inspiration), Stitched in Color, and The Sassy Quilter (each step is detailed thoroughly).
Supplies:
1/3 yard each (or less, see note below) of at least 12 – 15 prints
Ruler with a 60 degree marking (or 60 degree triangle ruler)
Chipboard, cereal box, or poster board, if making your own 60 degree triangle template
Finished Size: 49″ x 56″
Step 1:
Determine the size of your triangle.
I used a 10″ triangle, simply because that was the size of my smallest sample yardage. You can even use mini triangles, like this example (disclaimer: I am not responsible for any loss of hair due to hair pulling…this looks a bit tedious, but super cool). Obviously, the larger the triangle (Fancy Tiger Crafts used a 12″ triangle), the fewer triangles you will need, and the faster this will go together. But give some thought to scale, if you are making a smaller baby blanket, it will look better to use a smaller triangle.
Step 2:
Make a template if desired. I chose to make one, just because I can be a bit sloppy when cutting without one. If you have a standard quilting ruler, it should have several degree markings on it – 30, 45, and 60. Take a piece of chipboard and mark the height of your triangle, 10″ in my case. Next, place your ruler on the bottom edge of your chipboard, matching the 60 degree line. Mark line, and repeat with the left side. Cut out (I used my rotary cutter, even though it might dull the blade).
NOTE: The 60 degree ruler has a blunt tip, which can make sewing the triangles together much easier (and more beginner friendly). I did not use this method, but The Sassy Quilter tutorial gives great directions for this method…check it out before cutting to see if you would rather use that method.
Step 3:
Cut each print into strips the correct height for your triangle, my strips are 10″ high x wof (width of fabric).
NOTE: If you have chosen a different size triangle, you may need more or less yardage ( ie – if your triangles are 9″ tall, you only need 1/4 yard per print). This is also a great scrap buster project, so adjust fabric yardage as needed for your quilt.
Step 4:
Cut out triangles. If using the chipboard template, lay close to selvage edge, and cut (I would place your ruler on top of cutting edge, to protect the template, which can easily be cut with a rotary cutter). If using the 60 degree ruler, simply lay close to selvage edge, and cut. If you do not want to do either, you can free hand the cut, as shown here. Keep flipping the triangle, laying top to bottom, then bottom to top, lining up the cut edge. Cut continuous triangles from your strip of fabric.
How many triangles should you cut? It depends on what size you want your finished quilt to be. I have 6 rows of 9 (8 full triangles, and 2 halves), for a total of 54. Finished Size: 49″ x 56″
I cut my half triangles before piecing as shown in the Fancy Tiger Crafts tutorial, however, I wish I had done it as shown in Stitched in Color tutorial – sewing full triangles, then trimming edge after all are sewn…..a much more uniform edge.
Step 5:
Dry fit triangles into a pleasing pattern, either laying out on the floor, or on a design wall as I did. Take a picture of layout. This is valuable for 3 reasons:
1. It will help you to see if the prints are “balanced”, somehow, viewing it on a screen really makes unbalanced areas stand out.
2. If you have small children who like to touch everything (: it will help you put things back in order.
3. When sewing your rows together, it’s easy to get the sets of triangles reversed, so it is a great reference to the correct layout.
Step 6:
Sew triangles together in rows. Start by matching up 2 adjoining triangles, then sew the sets together, until the row is completed. If using half triangles, sew them on last. If using full triangles that you will cut in half on the edges, be sure to include those when you dry fit your rows. The Sassy Quilter has great pics for this step.
This was the trickiest part for me, because you do not line up the edges. You need to place the points 1/4″ above the edge, as shown below. I admit, I unpicked my first triangle several times before I got the hang of it. But after that, it went quickly, with very few mistakes. Be sure to press your seams to one side as you sew each row.
Step 7:
Sew rows together, The Sassy Quilter has detailed step-by-step pics. Your goal is to try to keep the points all lined up…but if this is your first try at this type of block, don’t get too worried if they don’t – many of mine did not. It will not detract from the finished quilt, so use it as an exercise to improve the skill, instead of trying to make each one perfect!
If you used the half triangle method, then your quilt top is done! If you used the full triangle method, trim the sides of your quilt, being sure to keep 1/4″ seam allowance.
Quilt and bind as desired!
