Heart quilt patterns are Cupid-approved all year long! Quilters make theirs with love, and you know it, LOTS of time. And that’s okay, because we sew in the name of love.
Show your love to a special someone from my list of modern picks for a quilty love gesture. Heart quilt patterns are their own genre and timeless. Pass them down and the love keeps going…and going.
Discover beginner-friendly and intermediate patterns from my list – spark a new quilty love interest.
Sing with me: “Ain’t no blocks wide enough, ain’t no seams long enough…to keep me from sewing for you, ooooo!”
Key Takeaways
- Get to know various heart quilts patterns for beginner and intermediate quilters. A simply sewn quilt spells love the same as complex heart quilt patterns.
- Download my free modern triangle heart quilt block pattern along with tips to use it in quilts and accessories. And free heart quilt patterns from other makers. I’ve added in a few to purchase, too.
- All the reasons to make a heart quilt. Heart quilts are for Valentine’s Day and other days, too. Give one any day of the year for birthdays, anniversarie, baby showers, wall decor and more blocks.
Heart Quilt Patterns by Shape and Skill Level
How many types of heart quilt patterns are there? Soooo many. Because we LOOOOVE to make them to give them.
Beginners, are you ready to press the pedal? Start with a heart quilt because let’s face it, quilters love to give away their quilts to their beloved. Put hearts on it and quilts are a testament of your love. I’ve selected several beginner blocks and quilts – easy squares and rectangles – to sew right up. Add one to your sewing projects because you’ll always find an occasion to share it.
One such pattern below is the Pinwheel Twister. It only looks tricky. The Infinite Hearts quilt pattern is another beginner-friendly project made with rectangles. Make any size you want by changing the number of blocks. This is one of the generations quilt patterns that can be passed down through the family.
Beginners, You’re Up!
Squares are the most basic quilt block and shapes. Sewing them together is easy – block to block, then rows to rows.
Beating Heart – Free Download
The free Beating Heart quilt pattern download from Art Gallery Fabrics is large, however, you can make smaller strips (it’s just strips then cuts). Why not make a larger one and get a head start on baby’s growth spurt?!
Squares…really.
The Pinwheel Twister is a free pattern by Connie Kresin.
Learn how to make this small twisting pinwheel heart quilt pattern. Download the free pattern and tutorial here. She has an ingenious way to piece and cut the squares apart to make pinwheel blocks. LOVE IT!
Crouton Crafts has their own version and tutorial here on YouTube, which finishes at 32 inches square.
Half-Square Triangle Heart Quilts
Daydreaming about modern triangle quilts is one of my loves. Freezer paper piecing modern triangles is my favorite method, and half square triangles are a close second. Trying out different layouts and color combos with half square triangles is fun. You can create as you go.
HSTs feature two fabrics which accents positive and negative spaces in the block layout and creates gradations if the colors are the same but different values. I’m partial to using solids for half square triangles because the gradations are gorgeous.
BONUS: Even though they are triangles, they finish as easy squares to sew in rows. Applause for squares!
Download the free heart quilt pattern plus an excellent tutorial from Fat Quarter Shop here.
Modern Triangles
Like I said, modern triangles are my thing. Download a free triangle heart block here and watch the heart quilt block tutorial below. Make two triangles from one pattern (a freebie inside a freebie, hehe). I’ll show you how to do both on the video.
See what you can do with these blocks? Make six and create stars or an entire quilt.
Mixed Squares, Triangles and Rectangles
Heart Gems by Quilty Love Shop has so much to offer: three shapes, beginner-friendly and a bold modern design. In fact, Quilty Love has so much love to offer by way of heart quilt patterns. Check them all out here.
Stars and Hearts uses half square triangles and flipped triangles at the heart motif edges.
Obs, I love solids and stars so Stars and Hearts was a shoe in. Fun change ups: reverse the white and colored areas. Use prints to make the stars twinkle at the edges. Not a solids fan? Use a fat quarter bundle you love. Stars and Hearts has OPTIONS. I like that in a quilt.
Plus, the design is easy enough for beginners and fun for more advanced quilters who will make it their own. Get the free heart pattern download here.
Rectangles
Infinite Hearts is made mostly with rectangles. I like the bold hearts on a light background. This quilt proclaims “I love you!” from the rooftops! Wouldn’t it be fun to make the hearts in your beloved’s favorite colors? Or rainbow?! Check it out on QuiltyLoveShop.com here to buy a paper version.
Log Cabin Heart Blocks
Simple, modern, Zen. Log Cabin Heart Baby Quilt is made with wider pieces for easier piecing. Already sized for a baby quilt and ready for scraps and neutrals – this is GOOD! The instructions are easy to follow and perfect for a first-time log cabin piecer.
Download the free pattern here.
Paper Pieced Heart Quilt BlockS
This well-designed 6-inch block is paper pieced and easy enough for beginners. I see pincushions, pillow covers, sachets…and maybe a “I found a quilted heart” a random act of kindness project. Learn more about #IFAQH here.
Now check it out in Kohatu’s Etsy shop here.
Envelopes is a foundation pieced quilt to customize for someone special. Applique a peaking heart in the envelope or personalize with names like she did. Purchase Envelopes here.
Applique
Carolyn Friedlander designed Jelly. The fabric collection sets this one apart from other heart quilt patterns. If this were the 70s, I’d say “Faaaaar out!” The value play and prints are so interesting, You can purchase the pattern on her site here.
Just Because I’M a Stinkin’ Cute Block
Sweetheart quilt pattern has hearts with bows on top. GAH! It was designed by Ellis and Higgs – you can find the delightful digital download in their Etsy shop here.
Beginners: You could make this quilt buuuuut, there are lots of pieces in different fabrics to manage.
No time? Go scrappy.
When I decide to use up scraps, it frees me up to use different fabrics. Make one block and you’ve got a mug rug. Select a block from Infinite Hearts and see what happens with prints and colors. Scrappy quilts really reflect the maker’s creativity. Go quilt artists!
Downloading Heart Quilt Patterns
A fun heart quilt pattern is a good investment – they make great gifts for many occasions. After you’ve made one of a pattern, the second and third one sew together quickly.
Here are some tips for purchasing and downloading free quilt patterns:
Before you download a pattern, check the size and fabric requirements. Does the pattern come in multiple sizes? Also, some patterns only show photos and diagrams without any text.
Digital versus paper patterns isn’t always a choice. Quilt designers have gone digital and tend to have limited supplies of paper ones, if any. Grab the paper version quickly because reprints aren’t guaranteed.
Tutorial or no tutorial for your heart quilt block pattern? A free heart pattern is awesome – even awesome-er is a tutorial on the site or YouTube, too. Designers drop in great gems and tips so take a few minutes to simply watch anything that’s available. It often saves you time when you start a project.
Support your favorite quilt designers and find new ones. I usually purchase patterns because I want to support quilt designers – so they keep those great designs coming.
Patterns typically aren’t returnable but contact the designer if you have questions. They usually welcome feedback, too. Designers usually include corrections to block patterns on their websites – double check your pattern for updates before you cut.
Last, subscribe to your favorite designers blog or newsletter. When sales, free patterns and new releases happen, you’ll be the first to know. My inbox overflows with them but it’s a fun minute to check out what designers are creating.
What size heart quilt should you make?
Bed Quilts
If the quilt goes on a specific bed, I choose a pattern based on how much time I have. A queen sized quilt is a COMMITMENT! Choosing a simpler heart quilt pattern keeps the joy in the making. When a toddler moves to a twin bed next month, I’ve got a deadline. Choosing the design is clearer based on time (deadline!) and materials. When in doubt on the size, a twin can work as an oversized lap quilt, and a folded bed runner.
Lap Heart Quilts
Everyone appreciates a cozy lap quilt. Especially a heart quilt, perfect for snuggling. Before you buy a pattern, check to see if size options are included. Some patterns don’t translate well to smaller sizes or fewer rows and columns.
Wall Heart quilt Patterns
Heart-themed quilts make fun wall hangings. If you’re short on time and big on love, make a wall hanging. If you have even less time, choose a large block, add borders and make a pillow cover.
Table Runner or Topper
Use a heart quilt blocks that are 12 or more inches square and join 3 together for a small table or 5 for a dining room table. Join four 12-inch squares – 2 across and 2 down – for a table topper.
i Heart Baby Quilts
Welcome the littlest ones with a heart-themed quilt. Baby quilts are traditionally small, usually less than 40 inches on each side. Make the hearts multi-colored or match the baby’s nursery to make a new, tired mommy happy.
Heart quilt patterns are usually beginner-friendly. Make them more intriguing with unusual color palettes and play with the scale (make it larger). Every way you sew it, memories are made with quilts.
BY THE WAY, THERE’S STILL TIME TO JOIN AURORA BOM!
Introducing the Aurora Block of the Month, an all NEW design for 2024! A beautiful symmetry of color and shape creates this stunning and enrapturing “modern triangle” quilt.
Click here to learn more about Aurora Block of the Month.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you quilt a heart block?
Heart quilts focus on the heart shapes formed by the blocks so a simple straight line stitching pattern is all you need.
What makes a heart quilt block beginner-friendly?
A heart quilt block is beginner-friendly because it has a simple design made from basic shapes like squares and rectangles, which are easy to sew, and it usually comes with clear, easy-to-follow instructions. Happy quilting!
