Bright Hopes Quilt Block

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Now, this block might seem too simple to bother with, but it's got some hidden values.

• It adds complexity to the design without complexity to the piecing.
  

• What a scrap-buster! Just cut all the #2s from different fabrics.
  

• It's a great equalizer for uneven blocks. If you've ever participated in a block exchange, you know that blocks from the same pattern but by different quilters can come out radically different sizes.
  

• There are no extra seams to match. A quilt made of just these blocks is as easy to put together as one made of cut squares. Can you say 'quick baby quilt'???

I've got Bright Hopes for YOUR quilting future and I hope you do, too. Let's get busy!

All seam allowances (SA) are 1/4".

Press every SA away from the center square.

Step 1: Cutting for a Bright Hopes quilt block

Bright Hopes quilt block design

Sample Size: 6" finished / 6½" unfinished

Grid: 3x3

Attributed to: Farm Journal

Design Type: Puzzle pieced/partial seams

In the sample block, I use four different fabrics for #2 to make it easier to see and understand the construction.

You use 2 or 4 or even just 1.

Try to balance the values of the fabrics, placing the two darkest #2s diagonal from each other.

Cut your patches using the dimensions in the cutting chart below.

			Cutting Chart for a Bright Hopes Quilt Block ~ Traditional Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size
			3"	4½"	6"	9"	12"
1	Background	1	1-1/2” x 1-1/2”	2”x2”	2-1/2” x 2-1/2”	3-1/2” x 3-1/2”	4-1/2” x 4-1/2”
2	Assorted	4	1-1/2” x 2-1/2”	2” x 3-1/2”	2-1/2” x 4-1/2”	3-1/2” x 6-1/2”	4-1/2” x 8-1/2”
Unfinished Block Size			3-1/2”	5”	6-1/2”	9-1/2”	12-1/2”
Grid Size			1”	1-1/2”	2”	3”	4”

After cutting it's helpful to layout your patches as they'll be sewn. Remember this block is constructed by adding patches in a clockwise fashion.

Step 2: The first partial seam

With right sides together (RST), align #1 with the end of the first #2.

You'll stitch from the edge to the solid black line—a partial seam—on the bottom edge as shown.

Step 3: Add remaining #2's to your Bright Hopes

With RST, add the next #2. The black arrow points to the first seam for reference; the red arrow to my friendly spider.

Press.

Step 4: The second half of your first seam

All that's left to stitch is the remaining half of our first purple #2 to the block. I use pins for control—it's lumpy, but quite manageable.

Stitch (overlapping a 1/4" of the previously sewn stitches to lock them in place) to the edge.

I start sewing this half seam at the black arrow to secure my stitching.

Just figure out the dimensions for the rectangles...

The steps are simple:

1. The exchange block becomes your #1 patch.
2. Choose a finished width of the rectangle. Add a 1/2" for seam allowances and cut strips that width.
3. The #2 rectangles are cut in lengths equal to:

Actual Finished Block Size + Finished Rectangle Width + 1/2"

Yes, you will need to measure each and every rectangle. However, all the rectangles are cut the same length for a single block. Each block may require different lengths (because it is a different size), but you'll be cutting four of each per block.

Wouldn't adding strips log cabin style work just as well?

If you used a log cabin technique to add the strips, not only would you have to compute and cut 4 different strip lengths for each block, but you may end up with all sorts of seam allowances that should, but don't, match.

That's a headache I don't need. Do you?

A simple example...

To see how this would look in a quilt, below is a traditional maple leaf quilt made from just 2 differently colored blocks, 9 inches finished with 3" wide #2 rectangles.

No matter how you rotate them, the only place you need to concern yourself about matching seam allowances is at the corners.

Just think how stunning this would be done in all scraps!

What about a different quilt block?

For a list of all the 220+ quilt block patterns on this site, start here.

If you know the name of the block, shorten your search by using these links:

A-D

E-M

N-Z

Click here if you're looking for blocks with at least some paper piecing.

Click here if you're looking for the basic building blocks of quilting, i.e., Flying Geese, half square triangles, quarter square triangles, etc., along with several techniques to make each.

And finally, use these links to find blocks in these finished sizes:

• 4"

• 4-1/2"

• 5"

• 6"

• 8"

• 9"

• 10"

• 12"

This article was printed from Generations-Quilt-Patterns.com

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