Hope Grows

Designers: Cherie Ralston and Alma Allen

Photographs: Greg Scheideman

• 1-5/8 yard light pink dot (appliqué foundation, triangle-squares)
• 1/4 yard purple stripe (vase appliqué)
• 8" square green stripe (leaf and stem appliqués)
• Scrap of green plaid (leaf appliqués)
• 12" square green floral (leaf and stem appliqués)
• 4--1/4-yard pieces assorted light prints (flower appliqués, triangle-squares)
• 4--1/4-yard pieces assorted dark prints (flower appliqués, triangle-squares
• Scrap of purple tone-on-tone (flower center appliqués)
• 2-1/4 yards red floral (flower appliqué, triangle-squares, border Nos. 2 and 6)
• 1-1/3 yards light pink stripe (triangle-squares, border No. 4)
• 3/4 yard purple plaid (triangle-squares, binding)
• 4-1/4 yards backing fabric
• 75" square batting
• Freezer paper
• Glue stick

Quantities are for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics. Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Finished quilt: 68-1/2" square

Cut pieces in the following order. Cut light pink stripe border No. 4 strips lengthwise (parallel to selvage). Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces.

Designers Cherie Ralston and Alma Allen used a freezer-paper method to prepare pieces for machine appliqué. Instructions that follow are for this technique. (Patterns are provided for this technique; if you're using another method, reverse patterns using a light box or sunny window.)

1. Lay freezer paper, shiny side down, over patterns. Trace each pattern the number of times indicated in cutting instructions. Cut out freezer-paper shapes on drawn lines.

2. Using a hot, dry iron, press freezer-paper shapes, shiny sides down, onto the designated fabrics' wrong sides, leaving 1/2" between shapes; let cool. Cut out each shape, adding a 3/16" seam allowance to all edges. Cut seam allowances slightly narrower at tips of leaves; clip inner curves as necessary.

3. On each appliqué shape, run a glue stick along seam allowance wrong side, then finger-press seam allowance to back of freezer paper; let dry.

From light pink dot, cut:

• 1--21" square
• 20--2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 40 triangles total

From purple stripe, cut:

• 1 of Pattern A

From green stripe, cut:

• 1--1-1/4x7-1/4 bias strip
• 1--1-1/4x4" bias strip
• 2 of Pattern F

From green plaid, cut:

• 3 of Pattern F

From green floral, cut:

• 1--1-1/4x9" bias strip
• 1--1-1/4x7-1/4" bias strip
• 1--1-1/4x4-1/4" bias strip
• 7 of Pattern F

From assorted light prints, cut:

• 72--2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 144 triangles total
• 3 of Pattern C

From assorted dark prints, cut:

• 72--2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 144 triangles total
• 3 of Pattern B
• 1 of Pattern E

From purple tone-on-tone, cut:

• 3 of Pattern D

From red floral, cut:

• 7--6-1/2x42" strips for border No. 6
• 2--6-1/2x36-1/2" border No. 2 strips
• 2--6-1/2x24-1/2" border No. 2 strips
• 22--2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 44 triangles total
• 1 of Pattern E

From light pink stripe, cut:

• 2--6-1/2x52-1/2" border No. 4 strips
• 2--6-1/2x40-1/2" border No. 4 strips
• 22--2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 44 triangles total

From purple plaid, cut:

• Enough 2-1/2"-wide bias strips to total 285" for binding
• 20--2-7/8" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 40 triangles total

Fold assorted green print strips in half lengthwise with wrong side inside; press. Sew together long edges, stitching a scant 1/4" from edges (Diagram 1). Trim seam allowance to 1/8". Refold strip, centering seam in back; press. (To speed the process, Cherie and Alma recommend using a 3/8"-wide bias tape maker.)

1. Fold light pink dot 21"-square appliqué foundation in half diagonally twice. Lightly finger-press folds to create appliqué placement guidelines; unfold.

2. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, arrange pattern pieces A–F on appliqué foundation; baste in place.

3. Using thread that matches appliqué shapes and working from bottom layer to top, machine-appliqué pieces to make the quilt center.

4. Soak quilt center in cold water to remove glue. Machine-dry with dry towel to help absorb excess water. Trim foundation fabric behind appliqués, leaving 1/4" seam allowances. Peel away freezer paper and discard. Press from wrong side and trim to 20-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1. Pair each light pink dot, light pink stripe, and assorted light print triangle with a red floral, purple plaid, or assorted dark print triangle. Sew together each pair to make 228 triangle-squares total (Diagram 2). Press seams toward darker print triangles. Each triangle-square should be 2-1/2" square including seam allowances.

2. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together 10 triangle-squares in a row to make a short border No. 1 strip. Repeat to make a second short border No. 1 strip. Join 12 triangle-squares in a row to make a long border No. 1 strip. Repeat to make a second long border No. 1 strip. Press all seams in one direction.

3. Sew short border No. 1 strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long border No. 1 strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward quilt center.

4. Sew short red floral border No. 2 strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long red floral border No. 2 strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border No. 2.

Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together 18 triangle-squares to make a short border No. 3 strip. Repeat to make a second short border No. 3 strip. Join 20 triangle-squares to make a long border No. 3 strip. Repeat to make a second long border No. 3 strip. Press all seams in one direction.

5. Sew short border No. 3 strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long border No. 3 strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border No. 2.

6. Sew the short light pink stripe border No. 4 strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long light pink stripe border No. 4 strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border No. 4.

7. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together 26 triangle-squares to make a short border No. 5 strip. Repeat to make a second short border No. 5 strip. Join 28 triangle-squares to make a long border No. 5 strip. Repeat to make a second long border No. 5 strip. Press all seams in one direction.

8. Sew short border No. 5 strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long border No. 5 strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward border No. 4.

Cut and piece red floral 6-1/2x42" strips to make:

• 2--6-1/2x681/2" border No. 6 strips
• 2--6-1/2x56-1/2" border No. 6 strips

9. Sew short red floral border No. 6 strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add long red floral border No. 6 strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward border No. 6.

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste.

2. Quilt as desired. Machine-quilter Lori Kukuk stitched a circular design on the appliqués and in the background of the quilt center, a feather motif on border No. 4, and a diamond grid on border Nos. 2 and 6. Veins were stitched into each leaf. In each triangle-square, she echo-quilted free-form triangles.

3. Bind with purple plaid bias binding strips.