Prepping Fabrics for FPP Triangle in a Square Quilt Blocks

Prepping fabric for FPP Triangle in a Square quilt blocks really can be quite useful….even though it’s not the way I always do things!

Frequently when I am using the FPP method I will wing it a little and will either use scraps of fabric or I will work with larger pieces that I cut down as I go. These are methods that generally work for me, but when it comes to making Triangle in a Square quilt blocks, the angles can sometimes make things more challenging!

To help make the process of fabric preparation go more smoothly I like to use a template to cut my fabrics to a size that is just about right whilst minimising wastage and reducing the chance of getting things wrong.

I therefore designed this printable set of templates to help you (and I !) prepare fabrics for making Triangle in a Square FPP quilt blocks. There are 11 different sizes included to help you prep fabrics when making Triangle in a Square quilt blocks ranging from 1″ up to 6″ finished.

If you would like this set of printable templates to help with fabric preparation then just sign up for the newsletter via the form below and you’ll be sent a copy via email.

Below you will find a guide on how to use these templates in order to prepare your fabrics for making Triangle in a Square quilt blocks using the FPP method. You can follow along below or you can WATCH the YouTube video

For the purposes of this guide the parts of the Triangle in a Square will be referred to as follows: Main Triangle & Side Triangles.

The printable contains templates for prepping fabric for Triangle in a Square quilt blocks in 11 different sizes. For each block size there is a template for the Main Triangle (template A) and one for the Side Triangles (template B).

These templates help you to prep fabric for the FPP method and as such there will be a little excess fabric that will be trimmed away when making the blocks. They are not exact sizes for the finished block.

The templates for the Main Triangle are pretty straightforward. Depending on how many blocks you are making you can either prep the fabric for one block at a time or multiple at a time from a strip.

One block at a time – Place the template on a piece of fabric that is slightly larger than the size of the template and trim down to size. Remember to keep the grain line of the fabric in line with the middle of the template.

Making multiple blocks at a time – If you require a larger number of Main Triangles, you can cut a strip of fabric with the width equal to the height of the template. In this illustration below you can see how a Template A for a 2” Triangle in a Square is placed on a strip that measures 2 ¾” high. To minimise wastage of fabric, the template can be rotated.

If you are more confident with your cutting skills and you’re making a larger number of Triangle in a Square blocks you can layer up a couple of strips of fabric so that you are cutting out multiple Main Triangles at a time.

The Side Triangles are a little more tricky to deal with. Well, not tricky as such, you just have to be mindful of the fact that these Side Triangles are the mirror image of each other.

Whether you are cutting from plain/solid or patterned fabric will determine how you use Template B.

Solid Fabric

The joy with working with (good quality) solid fabric is that there is no right side and no wrong side. This means that using the templates is nice and easy.

One block at a time from solid fabric – If you are making just the one Triangle in a Square quilt block you can use the measurements on the template to cut a rectangle the appropriate size. You can then cut the rectangle into two ‘triangles’, following the line on Template B. The resulting ‘triangles’ can be used for either side of the Main Triangle as the fabric is reversible.

Multiple blocks at a time from solid fabric – If you are making multiple Triangle in a Square blocks, you can place the template on a strip of fabric that is as wide as the height of Template B.

In the example below Template B for a 2” Triangle in a Square has been placed several times on a strip of fabric 3” wide. The ‘triangles’ that are cut out can be used for either side of the Main Triangle as the fabric is reversible.

Patterned Fabric

With patterned fabric there is a right side and a wrong side, so you need to be mindful of that when preparing your fabrics using these templates.

One block at a time from patterned fabric – As the two Side Triangles are a mirror image of each other, when working with patterned fabric you will only need one half of Template B. Cut a rectangle that is the same height as Template B. Cut one ‘triangle’ with the template right side uppermost and one with the template flipped over to the wrong side (shown reversed in light grey). You can see how this yields two side ‘triangles’ that mirror each other.

Multiple blocks at a time from patterned fabric – If you are making multiple (even numbers of) Triangle in a Square blocks, you can place the template on a strip of fabric that is as wide as the height of Template B to cut out rectangles. You will need to cut half of the rectangles with the dividing line running top left to bottom right and half with the line running top right to bottom left (shown in light grey in the image below with the template reversed).

The image below shows a Template B for a 2” Triangle in a Square placed on a strip of fabric that measures 3” wide. By cutting two rectangles that are each divided in opposite directions you will yield four ‘triangles’, two facing in each direction. These can be used to make two Triangle in a square blocks.

N.B. if you are working with directional fabrics, that you would like to ‘honour’ in your final block then you will need to take extra care and do a bit more planning. That’s a bit more involved and needs a guide all of its own!

Hopefully this guide to preparing fabrics when making Triangle in a Square Quilt Blocks using FPP is useful. They will help you minimise fabric wastage and should help you get the construction right first time round!

In this demo video I show you how I use the printable templates when prepping fabric for FPP Triangle in a Square quilt blocks. I use both plain/solid fabric and prints so that you can learn how you too can use these templates to make fabric prep just that little bit easier!