Definitely Positive is a bright and fun modern quilt, with a simple block using jelly roll strips and coordinating solids.  The solid fabrics make up the plus signs set within each block.  The solids are also added to the corners of each block, to create another plus sign outline made up by the jelly roll strips, hence the name of the quilt, Definitely Positive.  You can find out more about our pattern company and other quilt and sewing patterns by visiting our website, The Cloth Parcel.  We also love to connect on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

This quilt finishes at 60" x 60".

1 Jelly Roll® {Lovely Fabric is Voyage by Kate Spain}
3/8 yard each of 6 coordinating solid fabrics {Bella Solids Jade (#108), Clementine (#209), Cobalt (#227), Nautical Blue (#236), Bermuda (#269), and Peach Blossom (#297)}
4 yards backing fabric {Voyage 27281-11}
1/2 yard binding fabric {Voyage 27285-11}

Begin by cutting your solid fabrics into (4) 2.5" x Width of Fabric strips each.

From each set of solid color strips, cut (6) 2.5" x 6.5" pieces, and (36) 2.5" squares.

From each of the 36 jelly roll strips, cut (2) 2.5" x 6.5", (4) 2.5" x 4.5", and (2) 2.5" squares.

For each block, lay out the pieces according to the picture above.  Each block needs the pieces cut from one jelly roll strip and (1) 2.5" x 6.5" + (6) 2.5" squares of a coordinating solid.  There are 36 blocks total.  Before you sew the pieces together, you can lay everything out to see if you like it. 

You will want to make sure you have one of each solid color per row.    Once you are happy with everything, you can sew the blocks together.

Use a 1/4" seam and sew the pieces together in strips, as shown below.  Press the seams toward the solid fabric for blocks on rows 1, 3, and 5.  Press seams away from the solid for rows 2, 4, and 6.  This will allow nesting the seams later on.  

Sew the rows together, and press seams all one direction.  Since these blocks and the fabrics are multi-directional, we were able to flip them around later if needed.

We're definitely positive that block is done!  Now make the remaining 35 blocks.

Lay out the blocks in six rows with six blocks each.  Sew the blocks into rows first, then sew all the rows together.The quilt top is finished!  Now to quilt and bind.  We machine quilted on our longarm with a variegated coral thread and a branch and leaf pantograph design by Anne Bright.  

For the binding, we used (6) 2.25" x Width of Fabric strips.  We attached the binding by machine, by stitching to the back of the quilt first, then flipping to the front and stitching it down close to the edge.  For hand binding, we prefer 2.5" strips.

This quilt finishes at 60" x 60".

This quilt will definitely always remind us to accentuate the positive.  This makes a nice lap size quilt, but if you can make as many or as few of these blocks as needed for whatever size you want.  You could even use just one solid to really make those plus signs stand out.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our tutorial!  Be sure to follow along on The Cloth Parcel blog for more fun quilt and sewing tutorials.  You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Audrey Mann
{The Cloth Parcel}