Express Post (Quilt) Block Party Week 3!
Continuing our “block party” in celebration of National Quilt Month, artist, designer, quilt maker and Spoonflower Ambassador Andrea Tsang Jackson of 3rd Story Workshop will be showing you how to make a heart quilt block from her Express Quilt. This beginner-friendly quilt project is made with Spoonflower’s Cotton Poplin and Fill-A-Yard®, but any of our quilting-weight cotton fabrics will work great. This is the third of our four-part “block party” series, be sure to tune in next Friday for the final post. By the end of the month you’ll have all the blocks needed to make your own mini-wall hanging or pillow!
Express Post (Quilt) Block Party Schedule
March 19: How to Make a Heart Block
Andrea: This heart block from my Express Post quilt uses the versatile technique of “stitch-and-flip,” also known as “snowballing corners.” This version makes 5″ finished hearts and with the border, the block measures 9.5″ (24.5 cm) square. You can use scraps or the recommended fabric requirements for the whole #ExpressPostBlockParty project.
How to Make a Heart Quilt Block
Step 1. Prep Your Heart Block Fabric
Heart fabric:
- 2 feature fabrics (two halves of the heart): (1x) 3″ x 5.5″ (8 x 14 cm) rectangle of each
Background borders:
- (2x) 2.5″ x 5.5″ (6.5 x 14 cm) rectangles
- (2x) 2.5″ x 9.5″ (6.5 x 24.5 cm) rectangles
Background:
- (2x) 3″ (8 cm) squares
- (4x) 1.25″ (3.5 cm) squares
Fabric for one heart block
Step 2. Make The Heart Quilt Block
Mark a diagonal line on the back of each background square.
Place a 1.25″ (3.5 cm) background square on top of each feature fabric rectangle in the upper corners, right sides together. Sew along the marked lines.
Trim off the corners 1/4″ (2/3 cm) away from the stitch lines. Press the seams toward the background. This will make two halves of the heart.
Place the two 3″ (8 cm) background squares at the bottom of each half, right sides together. Pay careful attention to the direction of the diagonal lines; they should form a “V”. Sew along the marked line.
Trim off the corners 1/4″ (2/3 cm) away from the stitch line. Press the seam toward the background.
Sew two halves together with a scant 1/4” (2/3 cm) seam allowance. Press the seam toward the darker fabric or press the seam open.
Step 3. Make The Background
Use a scant 1/4″ (2/3 cm) seam allowance for optimum accuracy!
Add the side borders by joining the 2.5″ x 5.5″ (6.5 x 14 cm) background rectangles to the right and left of the heart. Press the seam allowance away from the heart.
Add the top and bottom borders by joining the 2.5″ x 9.5″ (6.5 x 24.5 cm) background rectangles to the top and bottom of the heart. Press the seam allowance away from the heart.
The finished block should measure 9.5″ (24.5 cm) square, and can be inserted in so many of your future quilting projects!
Next week’s block, the Open Envelope, will be the last part of our quilt block party!
Looking for a fun space to connect with other quilters?
Don’t forget to share your progress in our Facebook Group, and tag your posts with #ExpressPostBlockParty and #SpoonflowerQuilts. You can also be the first to know about the next block post by subscribing to the Spoonflower newsletter!
Meet Andrea
Andrea Tsang Jackson of 3rd Story Workshop is a textile artist, quilt designer, author and educator. After working in various design fields and settings ranging from architecture to museums, the quilting medium called to her as a way to explore place, belonging and agency. Andrea lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with her husband and two sons.
The instructions for constructing this heart block are excellent. Thank you so much.
You’re like this geometry genius! Andrea, I want to do a quilt entirely with the hearts. I’m also thinking it should have some creative separating borders especially on diagonals. Would you consider coming up with this as a separate pattern. I love this heart so much. Still trying to wrap my peabrain around how to make even one block. Lived for the day this was posted. Love the Express mail quilt too!
Love this block especially—very much a keeper!