Shadow Hearts Charm Friendly Blocks

It is the season for hearts.  One of the loveliest ways to share our love is through a quilt full of hearts. 

​The blocks I will be sharing with your today could be done in five fabrics.  Or the pieces could be easily cut from charm squares.  Who doesn't have an extra collection or two of those five inch squares that are ready to be incorporated in a quilt.  

In the video tutorial, I will be sharing a new technique on quickly creating the double (shadow) block.  This uses one of the Serendipity options in EQ8.  

Tips for Constructing the Blocks

The finished size of the single heart block is 6 inches finished (6-1/2" x 6-1/2" with seam allowances).  The size of the double heart block is 9 inches finished (9-1/2" x 9-1/2" with seam allowances). 

Regardless of whether you are doing the single or the double heart block, the small squares have a finished size of 1-1/2" (cut size of 2").

Piecing Half Square Triangles

Electric Quilt will suggest cutting the squares for the half square triangles 2-3/8" x 2-3/8".  This is the size you can use if you are an accurate piecer and don't want to deal with the trim down.  For the rest of us, I find it super useful to use the over-sized piecing, trim down technique.

My preferred approach is to sew the triangles with 2-1/2" squares, which are trimmed down to a 2" finished size.  I personally love to use the Tucker Trimmer 1 for my trim downs.

Place two 2-1/2” squares right sides together.  On the wrong side of the lightest square draw a diagonal line corner to corner.  Stitch ¼” from drawn line on both sides of the diagonal line.

Cut on the drawn line.  This will create two half-square triangle blocks. Press toward the dark square.

​Use your favorite square-up ruler, to trim the units to 2" square.  I personally love the Tucker Trimmer 1 for trimming these units.

Piecing the Single Heart Block

Combine half square triangle units and 2" squares in rows per diagram.

Combine rows.  Press toward rows 2 and 4.
​
Block should finish 6-1/2" x 6-1/2".

Single Heart Piecing Diagram by Kari Schell

Piecing the Shadow Double Block

Combine half square triangle units and 2" squares in rows per diagram.

Combine rows 1 and 2.  Add 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" background to the right.

Combine rows 3 and 4.

​Combine rows 5 and 6.  Add 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" background to the left.

Combine double rows together.  Press toward rows 2 and 5.
​
Block should finish 9-1/2" x 9-1/2".

Shadow Double Block

Shadow Heart Piecing Diagram by Kari Schell

Next week I plan to share a layout for these blocks.  But feel free to experiment with layouts of your own in the interim.  Share your blocks and quilts in the Learning EQ Facebook group.

---

Happy quilting.

​Kari

Join the On Point Quilter weekly newsletter and receive regular tips and inspiration on using Electric Quilt 8 along with the  Free 12 Top
Tips for EQ8 video guide.