I Love This Quilt! A Banner Day

Hi, I’m Deb McDonald, Administrative Editor for McCall’s Quilting. I am excited to share my thoughts and ideas on my choice, A Banner Day, for the I Love This Quilt! feature in the March/April 2015 issue of the magazine. Just look at this super wall quilt pattern!

The A Banner Day pattern finishes 20″ x 35″

McCall’s Quilting has published so many amazing quilts over the years it was hard to choose just one. I narrowed my search to a smaller project that would be very versatile and that could easily be made in a day or a weekend.

While taking down Christmas decorations I thought about this feature. Our front door looked so bare without the Christmas quilt that I decided Ellie Brown’s A Banner Day, originally published in McCall’s Quilting July/August 2012, could be adapted to fit many holidays, seasons and special occasions.

Ellie’s design calls for thirteen 2” x 35” strips.

Piecing the strips together

Instead of using yardage I pulled two fat quarters from my stash and cut them into 2” strips. Then I reduced the number of strips to eleven to keep the overall size of the banner in balance. I chain pieced light green and medium green strips together and trimmed the ends even. So quick!

The finished background

Now it was audition time. You may have already guessed this banner will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. What would St. Patrick’s Day be without shamrocks, but how do I want to arrange them?

Applique placed similar to the original quilt

Like this, roughly following Ellie’s original layout? Maybe, but let’s look at a few more options.

How about this? Booo-ring! I don’t care for this at all.

Not thrilled with this one either

How about seven lucky shamrocks in a circle?

Adding an extra big dose of luck in the center here. Nope, this is too much.

Shamrocks scattered right to left?

Going back to the original layout, but with a four-leaf clover thrown in for fun. Yes, this is a keeper.

I plan to make several more banners and will blog about them throughout the year. Here are some hints.

What do you think is coming next? How could you adapt this pattern to fit into your home? Pull out some fabric and have fun!

Download the A Banner Day wall quilt pattern here.

You may also enjoy our Friday Free Quilt Patterns and Tuesday Tutorials.