postage plus

Designed, pieced, and quilted by Cheryl Brickey

Postage Plus is a great design to use with your favorite precut fabric strips or a scrappy stack of 2½˝ squares.

Materials

Yardages are based on fabric that is 40˝ wide.

Green/blue fabrics: 24 strips 2½˝ × 21˝ or 192 squares 2½˝ × 2½˝

Gray: 1¾ yards

White: 1½ yards

Binding: ⅝ yard

Batting: 63˝ × 81˝

Backing: 4½ yards

Cutting

GRAY

Cut 6 strips 8½˝ × width of fabric (WOF).

Subcut 1 strip into 2 rectangles 8½˝ × 20˝.

Subcut 2 strips into 4 rectangles 8½˝ × 19½˝; each strip yields 2 rectangles.

Subcut 1 strip into 2 rectangles 8½˝ × 11½˝ and 4 rectangles 8½˝ × 4½˝.

WHITE

Cut 5 strips 8½˝ × WOF.

Subcut 1 strip into 2 rectangles 8½˝ × 20˝.

Subcut 1 strip into 3 rectangles 8½˝ × 11½˝.

Subcut 1 strip into 1 rectangle 8½˝ × 11½˝ and 4 rectangles 8½˝ × 4½˝.

BINDING

Cut 7 strips 2½˝ × WOF.

Fabrics: Essex Yarn Dyed linen in Black and Kona Cotton solids in assorted blues and greens—both by Robert Kaufman Fabrics

instructions

Seam allowances are a scant ¼˝ unless otherwise noted. Press all seams open unless otherwise noted.

Quad Units

If starting with green/blue strips, sew 4 green/blue strips together. Repeat to make 6 strip sets. Cut the strip sets into 48 quad units 2½˝ × 8½˝; each strip set yields 8 quad units.

If starting with 2½˝ squares, sew 4 green/blue squares together to make a quad unit measuring 2½˝ × 8½˝. Repeat to make 48 quad units.

Postage Stamp Blocks

Use quad units from different strip sets, and rotate some 180° for a random scrappy look to each block.

1. Sew 4 quad units together to make a full Postage block measuring 8½˝ × 8½˝. Repeat to make 8 full Postage blocks.

Full Postage block assembly

2. Sew 2 quad units and 1 gray 4½˝ × 8½˝ rectangle together to make a gray Postage block measuring 8½˝ × 8½˝. Repeat to make 4 gray Postage blocks.

Gray Postage block assembly

3. Sew 2 quad units and 1 white 4½˝ × 8½˝ rectangle together to make a white Postage block measuring 8½˝ × 8½˝. Repeat to make 4 white Postage blocks.

White Postage block assembly

Quilt Top Assembly

1. Sew the strips and blocks into 9 rows as follows. Each row should measure 8½˝ × 54½˝.

Rows 1 and 9: Sew together 1 gray 8½˝ × WOF strip and 1 gray 8½˝ × 20˝ rectangle end to end. Trim to 54½˝ wide.

Rows 2 and 8: Sew together 1 white 8½˝ × WOF strip and 1 white 8½˝ × 20˝ rectangle end to end. Trim to 54½˝ wide.

Rows 3 and 7: Sew together 2 gray 8½˝ × 19½˝ rectangles and 2 gray Postage blocks.

Rows 4 and 6: Sew together 2 white 8½˝ × 11½˝ rectangles, 2 white Postage blocks, and 2 full Postage blocks.

Row 5: Sew together 2 gray 8½˝ × 11½˝ rectangles and 4 full Postage blocks.

2. Sew the rows together according to the quilt top assembly diagram. The quilt top should measure 54½˝ × 72½˝.

Quilt top assembly

Finishing

Refer to Finishing Your Quilt as needed.

1. To make the quilt back, cut the backing fabric into 2 pieces each 81˝ × WOF, trim off the selvage edges, and sew the pieces together along the trimmed selvage edges. Trim to approximately 63˝ × 81˝.

2. Layer the quilt top, batting, and backing. Baste and quilt as desired. Bind and enjoy! This version of Postage Plus was quilted in a combination of straight lines and a vine pattern.