Pyramid Quilt

When I am not reading fantastic quilting blogs, I am often drooling over the pages of Anthropologie or Pottery Barn.  Recently, both have had some amazing quilts for sale.  But if you don't have the extra $550 for a quilt - how about making your own?

   

anthropologie

This Pyramid Quilt {my name} is very similar to the Lark Quilt I made.  The Lark Quilt consists of equilateral triangles sewn together to create large diamond units.  This quilt is sewn in much the same manner except it is sectioned into horizontal units.

If you look carefully the solids are grouped into horizontal segments, blue - green- gray/green- green, etc.

 I thought I would do a couple of tutorials to make a very similar quilt.  I have a few special quilts I need to make for future gift giving, and this is a great design.....so why not?

I chose several shot cottons for my solids and then some prints for the printed triangles....

       

As I mentioned, these pyramids are equilateral triangles and I used the Fons and Porter 60 degree ruler to make my triangles.  With this specialty ruler I am able to choose the size of my triangles.  Of course, the smaller the triangle the more triangles you will need.

    

For my quilt, I am going to cut a strip of solid fabric and a strip of patterned fabric - 2 1/2 inches wide from selvedge to selvedge.

For each section there is one solid but several different prints ....so I cut my printed fabric strips in half {you could even cut the strip into quarters} so I don't have too many of one particular print with my solid fabric.  I want lots of variety in the prints.

  

 The first section I will be working on is this bottom blue color.  

I take the blue 2 1/2 inch strip and a print 2 1/2 inch strip - right sides together - using a quarter inch seam allowance stitch both long sides of these strips together.

     

Starting at the left side of the strip, line up the 60 degree ruler so the bottom is even with the bottom of the stitched strip and the pointy top is even with the top of the strip.  And make a cut on the right side of the ruler. 

Now just flip the ruler so the previous cut lines up with the left side of the ruler and cut along the right side.  Continue in this manner, flipping and cutting.  If you had a directional fabric, some of them will be upside down so that is something to consider when selecting fabric.

Unpick the pointy end of the triangle...this is just a few stitches.  Open and press toward the dark fabric and trim off the dog ears.

    

For each section {I am thinking of a section as the area that has the same solid triangle color} I need triangles sewn in this manner {solids and prints}, some 2 1/2 triangle prints only and some 2 1/2 triangle solids only.

The number of triangles I need depends on the size of the quilt as well as the size of the strips I am using. 

Piecing the sections together is done on the diagonal rather than in rows, which is the more common way to piece a quilt together.

For this section I decided to do 3 rows of the solid triangles.  For each diagonal line of triangles I will piece together two of the stitched solid and prints and then add one solid at the top and one print at the bottom.

Let's break this down...

Take two of these units....

Place them right sides together like this....the solid of the top unit will sit on top of the print of the other unit and the edges will meet up nicely {if the dog ears have been trimmed}.  Stitch using a quarter inch seam allowance.

Open and press...

Add a single solid to the top and a single print to the bottom....

When I have enough of these strips together to cover the desired width...these can be pieced together.

Be sure to match up seams because we want the tip of the solid to just meet the tip of the print once they are all together.  I sometimes use my finger to hold at the seam about 1/4 inch in and flip the top section over to check and make sure I have the points where I want them.  Also you will notice that the line of stitching will intersect the point where the triangles meet.

Continue to build the section in this manner.  Next I will show how to straighten up the sides.

Happy Wednesday!

mary