Plus quilts are in fashion right now and this one is based on a vintage quilt with a few small changes to make it my own. Here’s my two color drawing – designing in two colors is quicker and I always want to get to the piecing faster! I might have to make this one again because as much as I like scrappy, I love it in red and white too.

Quilt size – 54 x 76 which puts it right in the size range I like for donating or gifting.

Block size – 10 inches finished (10.5 inches with seam allowances).

Setting – 5 blocks across x 7 blocks down. 35 blocks total.

Please read through all the instructions BEFORE you start piecing and ask if you have any questions – mmcjohnson@gmail.com

My quilt in progress – you can see how the sashing transforms the quilt into something special.

The quilt is Jelly Roll friendly and I used 35 strips from a jelly roll (each strip made one block with a little left over) and paired it with black yardage from my stash.  I started with 3 yards of my black fabric and I will end up with less than a half yard left after I cut my binding.

Piecing the block – make 35

For each block cut the following:

(4) 2.5 x 2.5 inch squares from your print

(4) 2.5 x 6.5 inch rectangles from your print

(6) 2.5 x 2.5 inch squares from your background

(1) 2.5 x 6.5 inch rectangle from your background

First we’re going to piece the PLUS block and then we’re going to frame it. Sew your print squares to your background square and then sew them to the center rectangle – I pressed everything to the black at this stage.

Now that you have your plus block pieced, you’re going to frame it.

Sew two black squares to two of your print rectangles. Press toward the print rectangle.

• These are your top and bottom frames.

Sew two rectangles to the sides of the PLUS block – press toward the print rectangles.

Sew the top and bottom frames to the block. Your seams should nestle if you’ve pressed correctly.

NOTE: in all my PLUS  blocks, my black rectangle in the center of the PLUS is oriented vertically.

I cut and pieced 3-4 blocks at a time until I had all 35 done. Make sure all the blocks are arranged as you want and then you’re ready to sash the quilt.

Sashing is cut 1.5 x 10.5 inches from the background fabric

• I cut (2) 10.5 inch pieces of fabric from selvage to selvage and then subcut that into my 1.5 inch sections. Depending on how wide your fabric is, that should give you about 52 sections and you will need 58. For those extra few sashing strips, I cut 1.5 inch strips selvage to selvage and subcut them to 10.5 inches. Cutting my sashing in this way made the best use of my fabric yardage.

Cornerstone squares are cut 1.5 x 1.5 inches. I had enough of the jelly roll strips left to cut my cornerstones. 

You can use whatever process for sashing that you choose. I like to sash 4 blocks and then assemble these sections into rows.

Here’s my finished top.

How about a version without sashing?! I’d make this once scrappy but it would make a great veteran quilt too.

Here’s Ann’s version in solids! Click on the photo for a larger view.

(c) Mary Johnson – MaryQuilts.com – 2016