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Bryan House Quilts

Design Improv with Triangles – Pre Workshop Prep and Info

Design Improv with Triangles –

Hi there!

Welcome to the workshop prep page. On this page you’ll find everything you need to know for your particular group. You’ll find the schedule, materials lists, and resources that will be mentioned during the workshop.

I’m excited to teach my Design Improv with Triangles Workshop. This workshop will be a variation of the online version.

Please know that I will be teaching using equilateral triangles, but you are welcome to use right triangles or isosceles.

Supply Lists

You have a few options here depending on how you create and what your goal is for the workshop. You might consider purchasing a copy of Modern Triangle Quilts, but it’s not a requirement.

Designing Supplies & Printables

You’ll want to bring something to sketch and record your design ideas. Please bring:

  • journal, sketch pad, or gridded paper
  • pens, pencils, or markers
  • at least 1 copy of Triangle Thumbnail worksheet
  • 1-3 copies of the 8” Triangle worksheet

Materials to Sew Triangles:

The fabric materials you bring will depend on how many triangles you want to make. Do you want to just do a sampling of six triangles or will you be starting a large quilt during the workshop?

At the minimum please bring:

  • 1/2 yard Darker of Color 1 (I use Dark Green.)
  • 1/2 yard Lighter of Color 1 (I use Medium Green.)
  • 1/2 yard of Darker Color 2 (I use Dark Peach.)
  • 1/2 yard of Lighter Color 2 (I use Light Peach.)
  • 5-10 Assorted Large Scraps to play with. Please bring a variety, I use a black, a floral, a bright blue green, a mustard yellow, and a Medium Peach)
  • Optional – Quilter’s Template Plastic (I’ll be bringing several for the group to use.)
  • Optional – Decorative items you’d like to add to your designs such as embroidery floss.

Materials for Six Mini Quilts:

During the course of the workshop you’ll be able to create and make your own triangle designs. If you make equilateral triangles and would like to frame them as six mini quilts (like I show above) you’ll need the following materials:

  • Six 8 1/2” equilateral triangle blocks
  • 1 yard of background fabric for every 6 triangles
  • 6 squares 20” x 20” backing (You don’t need to bring this to the workshop.)
  • 6 squares 20” x 20” batting (You don’t need to bring this to the workshop.)
  • 1 yard for binding for every 6 mini quilts (You don’t need to bring this to the workshop.)

Materials for a larger quilt

If you’re planning on starting a larger quilt you might also want buy the materials you need to finish that quilt. If you’re working from a pattern, please consult the pattern. For example, if you are making your own version of the Graphic Equilateral Sampler, shown above, then you’ll want to check page 44 for the material list.

Here’s what I advise to bring in my book, Modern Triangle Quilts.

  • 1/2 – 1 yard of each color you choose.

Don’t forget your Sewing Machine and other must have Notions!

Resources

(This will be the place I’ll share resources mentioned during the workshop. About a week after your workshop, I’ll update this page with the resources mentioned.)

  • Triangle in a Square Tutorial
  • You can download and print the patterns for Blocks 37-41. Making these are optional.

If you have a question or are excited about your workshop you can leave a comment. I’m looking forward to working with you!

See you soon!

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About

Hey there! I’m Rebecca, an author and teacher and freezer paper piecing evangelist. I’m also the founder of the Make Modern Triangles Quilt Club.

Disclosure

Just so you know, my site includes affiliate links from which I (it’s me! Rebecca!) receive payment or compensation. Something to consider as you peruse my website. Thanks!

Latest on Instagram

1️⃣ Make a test block. I know it’s tempting to s 1️⃣ Make a test block. 

I know it’s tempting to skip this step... I cannot tell you how many times I have skipped making a test block and ended up regretting it later. If I had just made the test block, it would have saved me HOURS and HOURS of seam ripping and re-sewing, so take my advice and just always make the test block! 

I have never regretted making a test block, but I have regretted not making one. 😅

2️⃣ Celebrate the ta-da moments.

I’m not talking about just the finished quilt. I mean EVERY moment along the journey that feels like a win. Picking your colors and fabrics, sewing that first block, the points that line up, arranging blocks onto the design wall... Celebrate as much as you can along the way. 

I think too many quilters rush past these moments because they’re just focused on the finish line, but quilting isn’t one big “ta-da!” It’s a bunch of little “ta-da” moments stitched together.

3️⃣ Learn the freezer paper piecing technique.

I’m not kidding when I say it completely changed my quilty life... The more I quilt, the more I realize that frustration doesn’t make a quilt more valuable. Struggling doesn’t make you a better quilter. A good process gives you more confidence, helps you enjoy the sewing, and frees up a lot of your time to keep quilting. It makes you want to come back tomorrow and sew another block! 

Quilting is meant to be enjoyed and there’s so much to learn along the way. These three things have been HUGE along my quilting journey, and I know they can make an impact on yours too. 

What’s one thing that has completely changed your quilting journey? Share in the comments. ✨

#modernquilting #paperpiecing #foundationpaperpiecing #quiltingtechnique #quiltteacher
When I say I’ve tried it all, and quilting was the When I say I’ve tried it all, and quilting was the only thing that stuck, I MEAN IT! 😅

👉 Tried gardening, and all the plants would die before I got around to them. 
👉 Tried crochet, and discovered I can’t count that high (or just don’t want to!)
👉 Tried making kids’ clothes, and they always grew out of them before I could finish. 

But quilting? THAT’S my bread and butter. 

It was my mom who got me into quilting many years ago, and I’ve even been teaching quilting for over a decade. 

I’ve built a community of thousands of quilters from all over, at all ages and all skill levels. 

And the most important part of what we do is have FUN. 🙌

Comment ‘FREE’ if you want to learn and have some fun along the way, i’ll send you to my free class to get started. 💌

#modernquilting #quiltingtechnique #quiltpattern #quiltdesign #quiltersofig
FREEZER PAPER PIECING TIP NUMBER 3 ⬇️ Always prin FREEZER PAPER PIECING TIP NUMBER 3 ⬇️

Always print your templates at 100% scale. Most printers are accurate, however, the template size may be off by a smidge with some printers.

Make a test print on printer paper. Measure the 1-inch scale box to check accuracy. Run a test when this happens by changing the scale setting a percent at a time, then remeasure the scale box until it’s the same size as the original template. Like I said, it happens, but not often!

Some quilters find that freezer paper shrinks after it runs through a printer. Another reason to check the scale box! You can’t turn down the printer’s temperature, but you can pre-shrink it by pressing it onto parchment paper. Peel it off, and you’re ready to try again.

Even being slightly off can affect the accuracy of your blocks later on.

This is one of those tiny steps that saves a LOT of frustration later. 😅

Follow along @bryanhousequilts for freezer paper piecing tip number four coming next week! 💕

#modernquilting #paperpiecing #foundationpaperpiecing #quiltingtechnique #quiltinggma quiltteacher
You can’t just go buy fabric like this. 👀 Because You can’t just go buy fabric like this. 👀

Because we live in a time where it’s becoming harder and harder to tell what was made by a person and what was created by a computer.

This is something worth talking about. 👇

For people who aren’t quilters, it’s easy to see any beautiful quilt in today’s world and think that the pattern must have been made by AI, or that the fabrics just come that way. 

These triangles weren’t generated in seconds. The fabrics don’t just come that way. 

They were cut one piece at a time, sewn one seam at a time, pressed, trimmed, arranged, rearranged, and stitched together over hours and hours spent in the sewing room, one day at a time. 

Each and every quilt represents DAYS spent in the sewing room, taking time for myself, creating instead of scrolling on the internet. 

And that’s one reason why I fell so deeply in love with the process. Because it’s not something you can just go buy. Quilting encourages us to slow down, learn something new, take time for ourselves, and use our hands. and create something that didn’t exist before. 

Take this as your nudge to get offline and go do something that you love today. Tell me what you’re doing in the comments. ✨ ⬇️

#modernquilting #quiltingtechnique #quiltpattern #quiltdesign #quiltersofig
👉 I refuse to spend hours ripping paper bits from 👉 I refuse to spend hours ripping paper bits from my seams from foundation paper piecing. 
👉 I ALWAYS attach the binding to the BACK first. 
👉 MAKE A TEST BLOCK... every single time. 
👉 I make notes on my foundations. 
👉 I make time for myself to be in my sewing room. 
👉 I buy pretty fabrics that make me go “Oooohhh, Aahhh!” 
👉 I don’t do Y seams. 

What would you add to the list? Tell us your quilting secrets in the comments. ⬇️

#quiltteacher #quiltingtutorial #quiltingtips #modernquilting
Comment ‘FREEZER’ for my free class to learn this Comment ‘FREEZER’ for my free class to learn this amazing paper piecing technique! 🌟

If your freezer paper is not sticking to your fabric, your iron might not be hot enough. 🔥

But be warned... 👇

You don’t want it to be TOO hot either. 

Use a HOT dry iron, and that should help your freezer paper stick to your fabric! 

The freezer paper needs enough heat to grip the fabric properly.

I also love using a wool pressing mat because it helps hold heat longer and makes the freezer paper stick even better.

When it comes to the quilting techniques, sometimes even a tiny adjustment can make a huge difference. 🙌

Quilters, do you ever struggle with this? Let me know in the comments and drop a ‘FREEZER’ below if you want to take my free class! 💌
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1️⃣ Make a test block. I know it’s tempting to s 1️⃣ Make a test block. 

I know it’s tempting to skip this step... I cannot tell you how many times I have skipped making a test block and ended up regretting it later. If I had just made the test block, it would have saved me HOURS and HOURS of seam ripping and re-sewing, so take my advice and just always make the test block! 

I have never regretted making a test block, but I have regretted not making one. 😅

2️⃣ Celebrate the ta-da moments.

I’m not talking about just the finished quilt. I mean EVERY moment along the journey that feels like a win. Picking your colors and fabrics, sewing that first block, the points that line up, arranging blocks onto the design wall... Celebrate as much as you can along the way. 

I think too many quilters rush past these moments because they’re just focused on the finish line, but quilting isn’t one big “ta-da!” It’s a bunch of little “ta-da” moments stitched together.

3️⃣ Learn the freezer paper piecing technique.

I’m not kidding when I say it completely changed my quilty life... The more I quilt, the more I realize that frustration doesn’t make a quilt more valuable. Struggling doesn’t make you a better quilter. A good process gives you more confidence, helps you enjoy the sewing, and frees up a lot of your time to keep quilting. It makes you want to come back tomorrow and sew another block! 

Quilting is meant to be enjoyed and there’s so much to learn along the way. These three things have been HUGE along my quilting journey, and I know they can make an impact on yours too. 

What’s one thing that has completely changed your quilting journey? Share in the comments. ✨

#modernquilting #paperpiecing #foundationpaperpiecing #quiltingtechnique #quiltteacher
When I say I’ve tried it all, and quilting was the When I say I’ve tried it all, and quilting was the only thing that stuck, I MEAN IT! 😅

👉 Tried gardening, and all the plants would die before I got around to them. 
👉 Tried crochet, and discovered I can’t count that high (or just don’t want to!)
👉 Tried making kids’ clothes, and they always grew out of them before I could finish. 

But quilting? THAT’S my bread and butter. 

It was my mom who got me into quilting many years ago, and I’ve even been teaching quilting for over a decade. 

I’ve built a community of thousands of quilters from all over, at all ages and all skill levels. 

And the most important part of what we do is have FUN. 🙌

Comment ‘FREE’ if you want to learn and have some fun along the way, i’ll send you to my free class to get started. 💌

#modernquilting #quiltingtechnique #quiltpattern #quiltdesign #quiltersofig
FREEZER PAPER PIECING TIP NUMBER 3 ⬇️ Always prin FREEZER PAPER PIECING TIP NUMBER 3 ⬇️

Always print your templates at 100% scale. Most printers are accurate, however, the template size may be off by a smidge with some printers.

Make a test print on printer paper. Measure the 1-inch scale box to check accuracy. Run a test when this happens by changing the scale setting a percent at a time, then remeasure the scale box until it’s the same size as the original template. Like I said, it happens, but not often!

Some quilters find that freezer paper shrinks after it runs through a printer. Another reason to check the scale box! You can’t turn down the printer’s temperature, but you can pre-shrink it by pressing it onto parchment paper. Peel it off, and you’re ready to try again.

Even being slightly off can affect the accuracy of your blocks later on.

This is one of those tiny steps that saves a LOT of frustration later. 😅

Follow along @bryanhousequilts for freezer paper piecing tip number four coming next week! 💕

#modernquilting #paperpiecing #foundationpaperpiecing #quiltingtechnique #quiltinggma quiltteacher
You can’t just go buy fabric like this. 👀 Because You can’t just go buy fabric like this. 👀

Because we live in a time where it’s becoming harder and harder to tell what was made by a person and what was created by a computer.

This is something worth talking about. 👇

For people who aren’t quilters, it’s easy to see any beautiful quilt in today’s world and think that the pattern must have been made by AI, or that the fabrics just come that way. 

These triangles weren’t generated in seconds. The fabrics don’t just come that way. 

They were cut one piece at a time, sewn one seam at a time, pressed, trimmed, arranged, rearranged, and stitched together over hours and hours spent in the sewing room, one day at a time. 

Each and every quilt represents DAYS spent in the sewing room, taking time for myself, creating instead of scrolling on the internet. 

And that’s one reason why I fell so deeply in love with the process. Because it’s not something you can just go buy. Quilting encourages us to slow down, learn something new, take time for ourselves, and use our hands. and create something that didn’t exist before. 

Take this as your nudge to get offline and go do something that you love today. Tell me what you’re doing in the comments. ✨ ⬇️

#modernquilting #quiltingtechnique #quiltpattern #quiltdesign #quiltersofig
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