 How to Make
Denyse Schmidt's Flock of Triangles Quilt Finished size: 44 inches by 52 inches (crib size) Denyse Schmidt has been making and designing quilts since 1996, when she established Denyse Schmidt Quilts. Denyse's quilts have been featured in numerous publications, including, New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, People, and Time. For more information visit www.dsquilts.com. Lucky for you, she's sharing an excerpt from her latest book with FabricofOurLives.com visitors to learn the technique needed to make her gorgeous Flock of Triangles quilt. As with so many quilt patterns, this one has a thousand faces. Flock of Triangles is based on the traditional Flying Geese pattern. Some other "trad" designs using triangles include Lighting Stripes and Dutchman's Puzzle. This quilt requires no templates, so you will get lots of rotary-cutting experience.
What You Do 1. Cut forty-two 6 inch Marigold squares. Then, cut the forty-two squares in half diagonally, as shown, to make eighty-four large triangles. Cut fourteen of these triangles in half diagonally to make twenty-eight small triangles (Figure 1). Set all the triangles aside. Be aware that the long side of the triangle will be cut on the bias of the fabric, which can stretch. 
2. Cut forty-two 6 inch Lily White squares. Then, cut the forty-two squares in half diagonally to make eighty-four large triangles. Set aside. 3. Arrange the triangles on your design wall or floor in fourteen horizontal rows. Start and end each row with a small Marigold triangle. Fill in the rest with eleven large triangles, alternating six Lily White with five Marigold triangles. If you are using several different Marigold fabrics, arrange the Marigold triangles until you have a good balance of value and patterns (Figure 2). 
4. When you are pleased with your arrangement, move the triangles from the wall one row at a time, working from left to right. Stack them and label them Row 1, Row 2, and so on. 5. Now stitch all the triangles together to make the Rows. Right sides together, align the points where the seam lines intersect on each triangle (Figure 3), and stitch. Avoid pulling or tugging the triangles, as the long sides are bias edges and can stretch. Press all the seams toward the Marigold triangles. 
6. Repeat Step 5 for Rows 2 through 14 7. Stitch all the rows together. With right sides together and block seams aligned, stitch the bottom of Row 1 to the top of Row 2, the bottom of Row 2 to the top of Row 3, and so on until you've sewn all the rows together. Press the seams to one side. 8. Prepare your Quilt Top for hand quilting. We quilted by stitching-in-the-ditch around each white triangle, and stitched eleven vertical quilting lines through the centers of each row of triangles. Use a fabric-marking pencil or dressmakers' chalk to mark the vertical lines. When you stitch the ditch, there is no need to mark lines. Stitch-in-the-Ditch: the word "ditch," in this case, refers to the indentation created by the seams that join quilt blocks or borders. To quilt, stitch very close to the seam line, on the side that does not have the seam allowance directly underneath. 9. Construct a Quilt Back using the following technique. Quilt backs can be made from one large piece of fabric or pieced together from lengths of narrower fabric. You can also piece together leftover fabric from the Quilt Top. A quick way to create a Quilt Back is to use a pre-washed, 100 percent cotton bedsheet. Choose fabrics in coordinating or complementary colors. To determine the size of a Quilt Back, measure your Quilt Top, then add 5 inches to the length and width. On top of the Quilt Back, layer the batting. Batting comes in a variety of different weights and types, and is sold both as yardage on rolls and in pre-cut bed-size pieces (crib, twin, full, etc). The weight or type you choose depends on the look you prefer and on how you plan to finish the quilt. A thin to medium-weight cotton batting is the preferred choice of Denyse Schmidt Quilts, as it is easy to hand-quilt and results in a flatter, more "old-fashioned" look. To determine
Layer the Quilt Back, batting and Quilt Top. Baste the layers together by hand to create the quilt sandwich. 10. Use the "Hand-Quilting Stitch" and stitch on the quilting lines that you marked in Step 8, and stitch-in-the-ditch. Hand-Quilting Stitch: If you're familiar with the running stitch, you'll find that the quilting stitch is very similar. If you are new to quilting, it's a good idea to use matching thread to your Quilt Top, so inconsistencies in your stitching "disappear." Use hand-quilting thread, which won't tangle or fray as easily as all-purpose thread. Aim to create a series of evenly spaced stitches of more or less equal length on both the front and the back. 11. Square up your quilt to measure 44 inches by 52 inches. 12. Bind the quilt. |
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