From our Free Quilt Block Patterns Library
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Our Woven Heart quilt block pattern uses simple piecing techniques--folded corners and a bit of strip piecing.
With a dash twirled seam allowances added for good measure.
Quick to whip up with beginner-friendly instructions.
In this tutorial, you'll find:
It's time to cut up and sew!
These abbreviations are used on this page:
SA are 1/4" and pressed towards the darker fabric unless noted otherwise.
Pressing instructions are highlighted in yellow throughout these pattern instructions to make them easy to spot.
I like to use starched fabric when using the Connector Corners technique.
Starch makes fingerpressing easy as pie. And there's less chance for tucks at the seams. Always a good thing.
My favorite is StaFlo Concentrate that I mix 50/50 with water.
Click the images below to see the full collection. We share any commercial and/or free patterns that showcase them, too. (For inspiration, of course!)
Sample Size: 9" finished / 9½" unfinished
Grid: 6x6
Please label all your patches. We refer to their numbers throughout this tutorial.
The fabrics in the sample block are from Tula Pink's True Colors line, and the background is from Kimberbell's Winter Basics.
As you choose your fabric for this heart pattern, stand back and squint.
Can you see the two different fabrics?
Remember, we want to see the 'woven' effect. To be enough contrast, you should be able to easily see them both.
To print a copy of just the block design and cutting chart to use at your cutting table, click here.
~ Traditional Piecing ~Woven Heart Quilt Block | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patch | Fabric | Qty | Finished Block Size | |||
6'' | 9'' | 12'' | ||||
1 | Bac | 4 | 1½'' x 1½'' | 2" x 2" | 2½'' x 2½'' | |
2 | Dark | 1 | 2½'' x 4½'' | 3½'' x 6½'' | 4½'' x 8½'' | |
3 | Light | 1 | 2½'' x 4½'' | 3½'' x 6½'' | 4½'' x 8½'' | |
4 | Bac | 1 | 2½'' x 2½'' | 3½'' x 3½'' | 4½'' x 4½'' | |
5 | Light | 1 | 1½'' x 13'' | 2'' x 17'' | 2½'' x 21'' | |
6 | Dark | 1 | 1½'' x 13'' | 2" x 17'' | 2½'' x 21'' | |
Unfinished Block Size | 6½'' | 9½'' | 12½'' | |||
Grid Size | 1'' | 1½'' | 2'' |
Make 1 of each
We'll use the Connector Corner technique to make the tops of our Woven Heart. (This technique is also known as Sew-n-Flip or Folded Corners.)
On the wrong side of all four #1s, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner. I like to use a mechanical pencil for this because the width of the line never changes. (below, left)
Draw with a light touch—only a dark as you need to see the line at your sewing machine.
With RST, align two edges of a #1 with the top corner of the #2 and #3 rectangles. Repeat for the opposite top side.
The ends of your markings touch the top and sides edges.
Pin to hold the patches in place.
Since I'll sew up the left side and down the right, the pins are inserted in opposite directions making them easy to pull out while sewing.
Stitch on the line, just ever so slightly off its center toward the outside corner. This gives you a bit of room for the 'turn of the cloth' captured in the seam.
Press flat to set the seams.
With your rotary cutter and ruler (or scissors if you prefer) cut away the excess fabric between the sewn line and the outside top corners leaving behind a 1/4" SA.
Below, purple top is after sewing and pressing flat.
Below turquoise heart top, after trimming away the excess. Its right side has had its final pressing.
Complete for all four top corners.
Make 4
Next up is a bit of strip piecing for the 'woven' part of our Heart pattern.
With RST align the long edges of#5 and #6 and stitch. There's a bit extra for straightening the ends.
Press flat to set the seams, pressing a second time with the SA towards the darker #5.
Use the chart below to check the accuracy of your stitching.
| |||
---|---|---|---|
Finished Block Size | Stripset Width after stitching | SubCut Width | 4-Patch Dimensions |
6" | 2½" | 1½" | 2½" x 2½" |
9" | 3½" | 2" | 3½" x 3½" |
12" | 4½" | 2½" | 4½" x 4½" |
For our 9" sample the strip set should measure 3½" wide. From the picture below, you can see that it does.
Straighten one short end of the strip set by aligning a straight line on your ruler with the seam line.
Find your Finished Block Size in the chart above and the corresponding SubCut Width.
Cut a total of eight patches.
We're after seams that nest because it makes matching them so much easier.
Align a pair of patches, RST, so that the #5s (turquoise) and #6s (purple) alternate.
THIS NEXT PART IS IMPORTANT.
Stitch them together so that the #6 (purple) patch is on top and feeds under your presser foot first—ALWAYS—for all 4 pairs.
Check that you're satisfied with the match at the center, then press the 4-patches flat as they were sewn.
Now we're going to 'twirl' or 'fan' the SAs in the center of each one.
Undo the few stitches in the SA at the center match—do not rip or cut these threads—they are needed to maintain the stability of the block.
Now twirl or fan the SAs clockwise around the center (from the wrong side of the block).
Press.
I fingerpress these first; it makes the job easier.
With RST, pin two of the four patches together so that the #6 patch (purple) feeds through your sewing machine first.
If you look closely at the white arrow below, you can see that the threads in the center SA have been undone BUT NOT cut or trimmed away. Again, we need them for the stability in the unit.
From this vantage point, you can see after the SAs are twirled or fanned, two of them are pressed toward the dark, two are pressed toward the light.
This is correct.
With RST, sew the two pairs together to finish the field of squares.
Take a peek at the backside to see how the SA alternate all through this unit.
Simple. It makes for an incredibly flat block after pressing.
If you're doing the quilting yourself, and are ditch quilting this unit, once you feel where the thick side of the SA is, you know that the ditch alternates sides with every square. You don't have to hunt for it.
Furthermore, if you're using the technique making scrappy 4-patches, by twirling the SA, all your patches can be pressed as they are made. The SAs will always nest correctly with lights and darks alternating to create a checkerboard pattern.
Again, the secret is to feed all the patches through your machine exactly the same, remembering to UNDO the stitches and NOT cut them.
Finishing up this block pattern is pretty quick because there aren't any SAs to match between the units. Just one match in the center.
Arrange your sewn units and cut #4 patch as shown below.
With RST, stitch #4 (background square) to #1/#2/#1.
With RST, stitch #1/#3/#1 to the four 4-patch unit.
In both rows the SAs are pressed toward the Heart top (the #2 purple and #3 turquoise patches).
To complete our Woven Heart pattern, with RST sew the two rows together.
When stitching, I like to have the side with the most seams on top to keep an eye out for little rascals that want to flip the other way.
This final seam is pressed away from the field of squares to reduce bulk.
This is our finished Woven Heart quilt block.
And from the backside you can see how all the SAs nest together.
Looking for more free patterns to make heart blocks?
Try these!
And for even more heartfelt inspiration check out the free and commercial patterns along with the latest heart quilt fabrics.
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