I’ve got a little improv string quilt block tutorial for you today that creates a heart shaped quilt. My Seattle Quilty Beeings charity group and I had the opportunity to play with simple string blocks a few months ago. I moved them around on the design wall before I left and the layout that stuck with me was a large heart.
I’d started thinking about making one of my own and the universe presented me the opportunity. Riley Blake Designs reached out about their upcoming Quilt-It Modern Blog Tour showcasing their new line of solids, Confetti Cottons and Crayola Colors. Who could say no to playing with colors with names like Macaroni and Cheese, Mermaid Tail and Tickle Me Pink?
There are more than a few colors (including several purples | aka Katie neutrals) I gravitated towards. I didn’t even know my stash had ‘color holes’ until I was presented with some of these.
The Heart Strings Quilt is constructed with (25) 8 1/2″ square string blocks. Position of the white strips creates the (4) different string blocks diagramed below.
Cutting-
Cut strips 2″ wide. Length of strips depends on placement and needs to overhang on each side of the paper by 1/4.” For an 8 1/2″ block the diagonal strip should measure around 13.”
Piecing-
Never paper pieced string blocks? Ashley has a great tutorial that provides the basics.
All strip colors are randomly placed with the exception of white. My strips went into a bag for a blind draw. If you replace the white pay close attention to color value or you’ll lose the heart design.
Make (12) of Block One. Place white strips along the diagonal and two corners.
Make (8) of Block Two. Block Two places white strips along the diagonal and one corner.
Make (2) of Block Three. Block Three has white strips placed on two opposing corners.
Make (3) of Block Four. Block Four has a white strip placed on the diagonal of the block.
Place all blocks in the layout diagramed above. If you make one I’d love to see it! #heartstringsquilt
I quilted in a straight-lined diagonal grid. I had inquiries about my process via Instagram, so stay tuned because I will be posting some tips about it in the next week, along with some basting tips.
The hand of the cloth is soft and it quilted up lovely.
The colors really allowed me to play with the binding and back.
Many thanks to my wonderful friend Sandie who created the diagrams for me with her mad graphic skills. What would I do without you?
Heart Strings will be sent off to the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild as a donation for #QuiltsforPulse. For the weekend I’ll be looking at it while snuggling under my Magic Number quilt since they are so Crayola together.
Happy Weekend Peeps;)
-Follow Along-
June 27: A Bright Corner – Salty Oat
June 28: Trillium Design – Allison Sews
June 29: A Quilter’s Table – Bonjour Quilts
June 30: Euphoria Jessica – Material Girl Quilts
July 1: Samelia’s Mum – Sassafras Lane
July 5: Quilt Matters – During Quiet Time
July 6: Sometimes Crafter – Modern Handcraft
July 7: Orchid Owl Quilts – Piece and Quilt
July 8: Sew Katie Did – Tumbling Blocks – Leigh Laurel Studios
#heartstringsquilt #confetticottons #rileyblakedesigns @rileyblakedesigns
#quiltedmodernblogtour #QuiltsforPulse
sweet!! this is so wonderful. Thanks for posting the tutorial. Off to raid my scraps and then my stash.
Have fun!
Love this Katie, and yes, thanks for the tutorial!
Thanks for including my quilt in your newsletter, I just had a chance to open it;)
Your heart design with string blocks is genius!!! Thank you for sharing your tutorial. I’m on the board of the OrlandoMQG and we are beyond thrilled to know this quilt is heading our way for Quilts for Pulse! Thank you so very much!
Beautiful quilt, it will be loved! Thanks for the tutorial!
I love this quilt. And I love that it’s going to #quiltforpulse and the Orlando MQG
So simple. Thank you for the instructions.
I love all of your quilts, but this one speaks to me.
I love all of your quilts. This one really speaks to me.
Beautiful quilt! I just love it! 🙂
I just absolutely LOVE this! Thank you so much for the pattern!
This is so pretty, great idea, thanks for the pattern!
Love this quilt, modern and beautiful, thanks so much for this great tutorial.
Thanks for the instructions. It’s beautiful.
Beautiful! Quick question: other than the white fabric, would the eight fat quarters that come in the Riley Blake Crayola pack Be enough to create this quilt?
How fun! Have to make one. Thanks for sharing the design and instructions. Micki@2dogsstudio.us
This is wonderful. Thanks for the tutorial. I love string quilts so am likely to try my hand at it. I just finished a quilt for Pulse – not as ingenious as yours but I hope it will be well received.
Incredible colours, the photo really jumped out of my reader list.
My wife lost her battle with melanoma cancer almost two years ago now. She was an avid quilter and I have three sewing machines now. It was a couple of months ago I asked her Queen Bees quilting group to show me how to use her sewing machines. I have finished one quilt that she had started and have three others off to a quilter and have started the fourth. This is addicting. My wife loved hearts and I am excited to give this one a try in her memory. You say the blocks are 8 1/2 inches square but the picture looks like they are much larger. Can this be done with a larger square and if so do you have a pattern for that or suggestions for me? Thanks for your help. PS-I’m 67 years of age.
Hi Kyp,
You can complete the blocks at any size. The strips just need to be long enough to cover the square completely on the diagonal. The pattern and layout remains the same. So glad you found something wonderful to occupy your time!
I love that. I always wonder how something so simple can look so complex and beautiful. So glad it’s going to Pulse quilts. I’m working on one for them, but this might be a good second quilt. Thanks for sharing.