Nothing is wrong, be sure that the extra is at the tip ...
I just checked my Victory Quilts (Eleanor Burns) book, where I ran into a number of those blocks ... Signal Lights was one of the blocks ... bride's bouquet was another.
you want it to reach the tip at the bottom, but the top will be longer ...
Is the block you are making actually a "spikey and pete" block of some type? I am not even sure of what the angle is supposed to be ...
but I might offer this tip for your quilting experience. Complete the block the way you started your first sample ... since that seems to be the correct way according to the book ... sew on both sides before you say it wont work ...
If the block isn't the way it is supposed to be, then put it aside in a box for "seed" ... it can be used in another quilt somewhere along the way ...
SOmetimes, when we are working through a pattern, we can't "see" where the instructions are going ... I have struggled many times on a step because I couldn't comprehend that later down the road I would be trimming something ...
If there is no trimming to be done, and you follow the directions and it doesn't come out the way it is advertised, then go ahead and cut the bigger rectangle ... oh, did I mention that the overhang of the center of your block is about a quarter inch at the top?
anyway ... I am not sure that a bigger rectangle (as in longer) won't create a different angle, but until you try, you will never know ... and, again ... do the complete block before you decide it won't work ... oh, wait!
you have limited amount of the fabric for that particular quilt ... then take some other colors from your stash ...
so, don't use your current colors .... go into the stash ... if the bigger rectangle doesn't work, you will have another block for a "surprise" quilt down the road ...
what do you think? Did I help? :shock: