Make triangles using the new folded corner method — No special rulers needed because QuiltSandwich figures yardage & creates cutting diagrams!

The secret formula to the folded corners technique is: 
Use the finished size of the block to determine how much of the corner you want and need to fill.  

Using the Yardage Calculator in QuiltSandwich will give you the cut size of the corner square you need.  So hey — decide where the corner triangle begins and ends on the larger square, and leave the math to QuiltSandwich! A detailed example is at the end of this post.

So I was looking at Pinterest the other day looking at all things quilting and ran across a blog post on a method for making folded triangle corners that I had never seen before.  I saved a screen shot to help me remember what she did -- so I could try it out for myself.  The name of the blog is I Finally Have Time and her technique is in the post, "Maple Leaf Table Runner", dated November 4, 2013

Well -- I just tried it out and I just love, love, love how easy the technique she showed is and how great the pieces turn out. ​

You know how we don't like to cut those triangles ending in 7/8"....so we use the folded corner method where we use 2 squares or a square and a rectangle to create the triangle portion.  The problem with how I was taught to do
th​is -- draw a line from corner to corner, sew on the line, cut off the excess and fold the corner over -- is that 1)  the triangles don't fit -- they are too small, or 2) they are wonky and the edge is crooked.  

This quilter's method uses squares to create the triangles, but she cuts off the corner BEFORE sewing and they have turned out perfectly every time I have tried her method. 

QuiltSandwich easlly adapts to this method.  Here is how it works so you can make these triangle corners any old which way and size you want!

​1.  First determine the size of the squares that need to be cut.  I want a 4 1/2" finished square.  So I put that number into the QuiltSandwich Yardage Calculator and the Cutting Diagram tells me I need to cut a 5" square. ​

2.  For the smaller square, I want one of the tip of my triangles to be exactly in the center of the 4.5" finished square.  Just divide 4.5 by 2.  (Which is 2.25 or 2 1/4")  The square I am going to use needs to finish at 2 1/4". ​​

So I put that into the Yardage Calculator and the Cutting Diagram tells me I need to cut my square 2 3/4" wide.  ​

​3.  Now that the squares are cut, place the squares right sides together aligning the corners. ​

​It is important that you match the edges exactly.  Sometimes i starch my pieces to make them "grip" better. ​

4.  Now take your ruler and place it on the diagonal so as to cut 1/4" away from the corners. So basically, you are going to place the ruler on the diagonal so the 1/4" mark on the ruler runs corner-to-corner -- be exact.  ​

Accuracy is critical in this step -- but I assure you this is easier than drawing the line and sewing on the line exactly in both instances. I know the corner looks wonky- but this will result in a perfectly square corner.  Yea!

5.  Take your pieces to the sewing machine and sew the squares together using a 1/4" seam allowance. Notice that the stitching is running from corner to corner.  Just like it needs to.  This step is actually pretty straight forward with a 1/4" presser foot.

6.  Press it open and voila!  A perfect 5" cut size square, I used a black marker to show the seam lines so I could show that my square would end up at 4 1/2" finished with good points on my triangle and it does! ​

And the best part is cut once and stitch once.  No more cut, stitch, trim.

A perfectly finished corner and no dog ears

Black lines mark the seam allowance I can measure the finish size — 4 1/2"

Finished size of my triangle measures 2 1/4" — The black lines are my seam allowance

Honestly, the hardest part of this method is getting the ruler placed accurately on the diagonal so the 1/4" mark on the ruler runs corner-to-corner.  I think this new way takes less time overall than cutting the squares, marking the square, stitching, cutting off the waste,  pressing, and then trimming to size.  Whew! That's alot of steps.  With this method its cut the squares to size, line up the ruler, cut, sew, press. Move on to the next piece.  ​​

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​Be Creative! 

Make this method work for any size you want!       YEA!!!!!

The secret formula to the folded corners technique is:   Use the finished size of the block to determine how much of the corner you want and need to fill.  

Using the Yardage Calculator in QuiltSandwich will give you the cut size of the corner square you need.  So hey- decide where the corner triangle begins and ends on the larger square, and leave the math to QuiltSandwich!

Example. Let's say that you want to make a 2" x 4" finished size flying geese unit. 

1. Put the 2"x4" finished size rectangle into the Yardage Calculator.  QuiltSandwich will tell you to cut a 2 1/2" x 4  1/2" rectangle. 

2. Now for the smaller squares.  You want the triangle units to come to a point in the middle of the rectangle.  The small square needs to be half (or the number of inches to the middle of the finished size) of the rectangle.  The finished rectangle is 4" long, half of that is 2".  Put 2" into the Yardage Calculator and QuiltSandwich will tell you to cut a square 2 1/2" wide.  

Another example.  This one is easy.  You are working on a 9" finished nine patch block; which means you have 3 " finished pieces sewn together into 3 rows of 3 and you want a fast an easy alternate block to make a more interesting quilt.  And you decide that a simple block with 4 snowball corners will do the trick! 

To snowball the corners of the alternate block, just put the finished sizes of the two squares you need (The finishes sizes are the 9" larger block and the 3" smaller block. ) into the Yardage Calculator and let QuiltSandwich tell you the cut size.   The Cutting Diagram will show a 9 1/2" cut size large square, and a 3 1/2" cut size small square.   Make sense? 

Last, more fun example. Of course, you don't have to have the triangle points meet in the middle.  Do something funky and unexpected -- maybe the point comes close to the middle -- say 1/3 of the way.  Well- 1/3 of 4" is 1 1/3" (or 1.33).  Yikes!  But-- you can put that measurement into the SuperCalc Yardage Calculator and the Cutting Diagram will say to cut a square 1.83" wide (QuiltSandwich Conversion Table shows the equivalent for .8125 is 13/16".) 

​Me -- I would cut it 2" and call it good!

I hope this little lesson made sense to you -- it has truly been life changing for me.   Its nice to know that we can make the folded corner technique work all the time rather than just some of the time. And now you know the secret to the folded corner technique. 


Here's to joyful quilting!