The Mckinley Quilt Pattern

I have had several e-mails of late asking for details about how I made the Mckinley quilt originally blogged here. I thought I would share my pattern for those who would like to give it a try. It is a very simple pattern, suitable for beginners, but has a big impact. I did not take pictures as I went along, so this is an entirely verbal tutorial. But it it pretty simple so I am sure you highly intelligent beings can figure it out with no trouble!

You will need the following to make a baby quilt measuring approximately 30" by 41" in size:

1 charm pack

2/3 yard sashing material

1/2 yard for binding and trim on quilt top

1 yard backing fabric of choice

coordinating thread

embroidery thread

buttons

batting

Preparing for the quilt top:

Choose 30 squares from the charm pack for the front and set the remainder aside for flowers. These will be arranged in 6 rows of 5 (5 rows above the name bar, one row below). Determine the order in which you would like the charms to be pieced. Set aside.

Cut sashing as follows:

A- 24 pieces cut 1.5" by 5"

B- 6 pieces cut 1.5" by 27.5"

C- 2 pieces cut 2.5" by 27.5"

D- 2 pieces cut 2.5" by 30.5"

E- 2 pieces cut 2.5" by 8"

F- 1 piece cut 3.5" by 31"

Trim fabric (for above and below name bar)- cut 2 pieces 1" by 31"

To assemble quilt top:

Make rows by starting with charm, then alternating with sashing piece A, using 1/4 inch seams. Continuing across row until you have used 5 charms and 4 sashing A pieces, ending with charm. Repeat until all 6 rows are made. Press seams.

To connect rows, start with row 1 and sew a sashing piece B to its bottom border. Add row 2. Continue until you have added 5 of the 6 rows, and 5 of the 6 sashing B pieces. Press seams and set aside. Next, sew the final sashing piece B to the top of row 6. Press seam.

Attach sashing piece C to the top of the group of 5 rows, and to the bottom of the single sixth row. Press.

Attach the 2 sashing pieces D along the right and left of the 5 row segment, and sashing pieces E to the right and left of the sixth row segment.

Embroidering the name bar and adding to quilt top:

Take sashing piece F and embroider the recipient's name. This can be done by hand or machine. I used 3 embroidery threads and stitched it by hand. First, I found a font I wanted to use on my computer, printed the name out to scale, then taped it to a window. I positioned the sashing as desired over the print out and taped it in place to secure. Using a washable quilting marker, I traced the name onto the fabric. Next, I completed the embroidery.

Once satisfied with the embroidery, sew trim pieces to top and bottom of embroidered sashing. Press. Then, sew top of this band to the bottom of the 5 row segment, and the bottom of the band to the top of the single row segment. Square up to trim any excess. Your quilt top is now finished!

Finishing touches:

Prepare quilt back, baste, and quilt as desired. Bind as desired. There are many tutorials on the web for these steps; Crazy Mom Quilts is one blog that has useful instructions for quilting, basting and binding should you need a demonstration.

Making and attaching flowers:

To make flowers, gather remaining charm pieces. I used a Big Shot with a Sizzex scallop die to cut the flowers in different sizes and stacked them. However, a template can be created and pieces cut by hand. Stack and arrange the pieces until it pleases the eye, then hand sew them into place, using embroidery thread to match the name stitching, and with button centers. Fabric centers can also be used if you are concerned about safety with buttons on a baby quilt.

(As a side note, if you would like to make a Mckinley-style quilt for a boy, why not substitute the flowers for things such as circles, squares, etc, or maybe applique on a little car?)

Your quilt is complete! Great work! I hope your recipient treasures it. I would love to see a picture of your completed quilt! Please add a photo to my Flickr group or send me an e-mail.

Thank you for your interest in the Mckinley Quilt Pattern. This pattern is intended for home use only. Feel free to blog about your creations and to post the link to this pattern for others to enjoy.

Happy quilting!