Hearts Afire – Free Quilt Block Tutorial with Pattern

Hearts Afire Free Quilt Pattern

Before starting this project, I recommend that you press your fabric with spray sizing. It will make it easier to cut small pieces. Take the time to clean your machine, put in a new needle, and fill a few bobbins. When pressing, just hold the iron over a spot for a moment or two. This pattern assumes a perfect 1/4” seam.

Hearts Afire Quilt Block
oops! Did you notice that the second row had two HSTs turned the wrong way?
Hearts Afire Free Quilt Pattern
Fortunately, Karen figured it out and fixed her block.
Hearts Afire Free Quilt Pattern
Her younger sister Kelly figured out my mistake too and made the heart into a star.

Cutting Instructions

  • Lightest Red:
    (1) 3″ square
    (1) 2-1/2″ square
  • Medium Red:
    (1) 3″ square
    (4) 2-1/2″ square
  • Dark Red:
    (11) 2-1/2″ squares
  • Fire Orange:
    (8) 2″ squares
    (10) 2-1/2″ squares
  • Background:
    (16) 2-1/2″ squares
    (4) 2″ squares
    (5) 2″ × 3-1/2″ rectangles

How to Create and Square Up a Half Square Triangle (HST) Quilt Block

The Traditional Method of making Half Square Triangle Blocks (HSTs) is to place two identical squares right sides together. These squares should be 7/8″ larger than the finished size of the final HST. Draw a diagonal line on the back of one square. Sew 1/4″ on both sides of the line. Cut on the line and press to the dark.

How to Create and Square Up an HST Quilt Block

You will have made two identical Half Square Triangle (HST) blocks. My personal preference is to cut squares 1″ larger than the finished size of the final HST and square it up to the correct size after pressing.

There are two ways you can square up your block.

You can place a square ruler so the diagonal line is directly over the seam and just cut two sides. Quilt-in-a-Day has a Square Up Ruler that uses this method.

Or you can press open the block (pressing to the dark) and square it up using a ruler the same size as the block you are making. A fussy-cut ruler with lines on both diagonals will be very helpful with this.

Make these HSTs:

In this pattern, you are making 2″ HSTs using the 2-1/2″ squares. Following the instructions above, make these HSTs:

Hearts Afire Quilt Block HSTs

From the (10) 2-1/2″ Orange Fire Squares and the (10) 2-1/2″ Background Squares, make (20) HSTs.  Press to the dark and square them up to 2″ × 2″.

From the (6) 2-1/2″ Dark Red Squares and the (6) 2-1/2″ Background Squares, make (12) HSTs.  Press to the dark and square them up to 2″ × 2″.

From the (3) 2-1/2″ Dark Red Squares and the (3) 2-1/2″ Medium Rd Squares, make (6) HSTs.  Press to the dark and square them up to 2″ × 2″.

From the (1) 2-1/2″ Medium Red Square and the (1) 2-1/2″ Light Rd Square, make (2) HSTs.  Press to the dark and square them up to 2″ × 2″.

To Make the QSTs

Hearts Afire Quilt Block QSTs

From the (1) 3″ Medium Red Square and the (1) 3″ Light Rd Square, make (2) HSTs.  Press to the dark and square them up to 2-1/2″ × 2-1/2″.

Draw a diagonal line on the back of the Dark Red Squares.  Lay them right sides together with the HSTs so that the line crosses the seam of the HST. Sew 1/4″ from each line, then cut on the line and press to the dark.  You will have made (4) QST blocks but you will only need these two. Square them up to 2″ × 2″.

Putting the Quilt Block together

Assemble:

The (40) HSTs you just made
The (2) QSTs you just made
The (8) 2″ Fire Orange squares
The (4) 2″ Background squares
The (5) 2″ × 3-1/2″ Background rectangles

Create (8) rows as shown below. Press the seam allowances of each row in opposite directions so they just touch each other when they meet.  Don’t be afraid to use pins. This will help the block lay flat.

Piecing instructions for a quilt block

The picture below is from Karen. I took mine down because of the mistake. It looks like she is using a wool pressing mat. I bought myself one for Christmas. I didn’t want to spend the money, but it really does help make the block lay flat.

Hearts Afire Free Quilt Pattern
Karen shared the correct layout with me, since I did my sample wrong😟
Hearts Afire Free Quilt Pattern
The same rows from the front.

Sew the rows together and press. Square up to 12-1/2″ if necessary. Enjoy!

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25 thoughts on “Hearts Afire – Free Quilt Block Tutorial with Pattern”

  1. Our friend Carol at Just Let Me Quilt is amazing with all these blog hop ideas. Thank you for the quilt block tutorial. It really is a cool one.

  2. Beautiful block. I think I will play around this weekend and see if I can do a little scrap busting and make one myself here. Thanks for the great tutorial.

  3. You created such a beautiful heart block and the tutorial is awesome…love it! Thank you for sharing your fiery heart with us. xo

  4. This a great block that truly meets the hop requirement. Thanks so much for sharing the pattern with us and giving us the tutorial.

  5. Very sweet. Small was always scary to me but I’ve lately tried it and like it. Yours is excellent.

  6. This block would be beautiful enlarged to make a large one block quilt similar to the carpenters wheel

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