Heart Quilt Block Pattern

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, it must be time for a heart quilt block pattern!

HeartQuiltBlockPattern10

Although, this block isn’t strictly for Valentine’s Day – it could be used any time of the year for anyone you love. Heart quilt block patterns are an especially lovely way to welcome a new baby or celebrate a newly married couple.

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I’m sure you’ll have no trouble adapting this block to suit your gift-giving purposes through your choice of colours, patterns and block positioning. Here’s a few I came up with:

hearts

heartssquared heartsrainbow

  • This block is fat eighth friendly, using a F8 for the background and only half a F8 for the heart.
  • Although there are quite a few pieces in the block, strip piecing makes it come together quicker than expected.
  • My “don’t do this” tip – I made a version with a super scrappy background of four different colours and it looked like a hot mess. When going scrappy, the fabrics all still need to be in the same colour family otherwise the heart gets lost.

Here’s a four-square mini quilt/table topper I made with some Carolyn Friedlander black crosshatch scraps, a solid red and an Anna Maria Horner True Colors print.

HeartQuiltBlockPattern2 HeartQuiltBlockPattern4

To make this mini you’ll need:

  • a half yard of background fabric,
  • a fat quarter of low volume red fabric for three hearts, and
  • a fat quarter of red solid for one heart and binding.

The instructions required to sew up one block are coming up. You’ll need to sew four blocks. Once finished, sew the four blocks together, quilt, bind and enjoy!

Fabric Requirements For One Heart Block

  • One F8 (9″ x 20″) of background fabric
  • One F8 (9″ x 20″) of heart fabric

Cutting Instructions

From the heart F8 cut one strip 2½” x 20″ and one strip 1½” x 20″.

From the background FQ cut two strips 2½” x 20″ and one strip 1½” x 20″.

Sub-cut the two background 2½” x 20″ strips as follows:

Cutting diagrams as part of the instructions to sew a heart quilt block at Bonjour Quilts. This diagram illustrates how to cut the background fabric strips required to sew the block's background.

Set all the sub-cuts to the side, keeping the last two 1½” x 2½” units handy.

From the heart 1½” x 20″ strip sub-cut two 2½” units.

Take these two 1½” x 2½” heart units and sew them to the two 1½” x 2½” background units that you’ve kept handy. Press seams toward the background fabric.

Two square patchwork units, illustrated by this diagram. They are half background and half heart fabric and will be sewn into a patchwork heart quilt block.

Sew and Cut Strip Sets

Take the remainder of the heart 1½” x 20″ strip and sew it to the remainder of the background 2½” x 20″ strip. Press seam toward the background fabric. Sub-cut this composite strips as follows:

A diagram illustrating how to cut up a strip pieced unit of background fabric and heart fabric, in order to sew a heart quilt block

Finally, sew the heart 2½” x 20″ strip to the background 1½” x 20″ strip and then sub-cut as follows:

A diagram illustrating how to cut up a strip pieced unit of background fabric and heart fabric, in order to sew a heart quilt block. Seams should be pressed toward the background fabric.

Sew the Patchwork Units

Lay out and sew together your pieces as follows:

A diagram showing the layout of the patchwork units required to sew a heart quilt block. These red and blue patchwork units will come together to form a red heart on a blue background. A free tutorial for this quilt block can be found at Bonjour Quilts.

Press the patchwork units as sewn below to enable seam nesting:

Pressing instructions for the patchwork rows required to sew a heart quilt block. Pressing the seams in these directions will ensure the seams nest neatly when the rows are sewn together. This will form a stronger seam and help the patchwork to lay flat after sewing.

Add the last little background rectangle in between the third row and press the seams outward. See diagram below:

Pressing instructions for the central patchwork row required to sew a heart quilt block. Pressing the seams in these directions will ensure the seams nest neatly when the rows are sewn together. This will form a stronger seam and help the patchwork to lay flat after sewing.

Next, sew the bottom two rows together and add the largest background rectangles to either side:

A diagram depicting the last few seams required to complete a patchwork heart quilt block. Instructions can be found for this quilt block at Bonjour Quilts.

Nearly done! Now sew the bottom half of the heart block to the top half and press seam as preferred.

A diagram depicting the final seam required to complete a patchwork heart quilt block. Instructions can be found for this quilt block at Bonjour Quilts.

A graphic design picture of a completed heart quilt block in red and blue colours. This patchwork heart block can be sewn from instructions found at Bonjour Quilts.

Congratulations, you’re done! You’ve sewn a patchwork heart quilt block.

Nice work!

HeartQuiltBlockPattern1

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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17 thoughts on “Heart Quilt Block Pattern”

  1. So cute! Thank you for sharing, can’t wait to try it. I always round up when purchasing fabric so I have so many scraps that will work. I don’t envy you with the move, my sewing room would be a challenge let alone my entire home. Thanks again….

    Reply
  2. I feel kinda silly. Am I overlooking something that says how to get the pattern? I looked in your shop but did not see it there?

    Reply
    • For some reason I don’t see the blocks to put in my email for this post. I was able to do it for another one of your tutorials no problem and received that one by email. Sorry for the trouble.

      Reply
  3. Kirsty, your heart block is adorable! Where do I find the pattern? Would it be OK for me to make a few table runners using this block and then sell the runner in my Etsy shop?

    Reply

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