You can get your own quilt block by sending in a completed host application form to the McDowell Arts Council. Once your application has been submitted, the McDowell Quilt Trail Committee will help you find just the right design and color selection.

Our affiliate, the Quilt Trail of Western North Carolina, has taken extensive measure not to duplicate any patterns so that hosts can enjoy their very own unique design, and enthusiasts can look forward to finding new blocks on all the different trails they travel without seeing the same block twice. The Quilt Trail of WNC maintains an extensive list of Quilt Block patterns that have already been claimed in Yancey and Mitchell Counties, which can be found on their website  available here.

We also make every effort to coordinate our efforts with other regional quilt trail programs to insure that each quilt block is unique.  The following is a list of other quilt trails sponsored by other organizations.

Ashe County

Avery County

Madison County

Watauga County

For more information about quilt blocks located in McDowell County go to our “Trail Map” page.

encyclopedia1You can also search for a quilt block in the Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns, complied by Barbara Brackman, which is available at the McDowell County Library located at 100 West Court St. in Marion.  Our organization is currently seeking funding to purchase additional copies of this book to donate to the McDowell County Library in Old Fort.

Some rules for hosting a quilt block:

  • You cannot alter the block once it is chosen and painted.
  • You must agree to allow your building to be photographed by the public and allow photos to be used in advertising of the Quilt Trail.

If you have questions, please email us at mcdowellquilttrail@gmail.com.