A Thousand Pyramids quilt block

A Thousand Pyramids

October 27, 1933-"A Thousand Pyramids is an old, old quilt design, so ancient that no two quilt authorities can agree on it's origin. It can be made up all in prints or skillfully varied, as it is illustrated above. This is another "economy" quilt, because it makes good use of scraps left from others."

That is the entirety of Nancy Cabot's Chicago Tribune column today introducing her quilt pattern, A Thousand Pyramids. This is still a common pattern even today.

There are numerous examples of antique quilts made from this design. However, I can not find any examples of A Thousand Pyramids quilts made exactly like Nancy's. Notice that she offsets her rows of triangles which is not the common way this quilt is sewn.


Here are a few links to antique A Thousand Pyramids quilts-

scrappy pink and turquoise tied
multicolored scrappy
bright multicolored
pastel and white with large border

I did not make this design as a block because it's really an overall one block design.  The A Thousand Pyramids quilt block design can be found in Electric Quilt's Blockbase program as #112d. It is drawn like Nancy's design!

There is alot of information out there about A Thousand Pyramids quilts and many FREE patterns available also. So if you want to make this quilt, check out the Quilt Inspiration blog. They've done all of the work for you! There are links to many free A Thousand Pyramids patterns. I really want to make this pattern!

Quilter's Cache also has a page about A Thousand Pyramids that is very interesting. And you have to check out Bonnie Hunter's quilt here. It has 2000 pieces for the millenium!

Tomorrow-Turquoise Berries