The Cross My Heart quilt block is created by Chelsi Stratton of Chelsi Stratton Designs. She is a fabric designer, pattern writer, and podcaster with her partner and mother Sherri McConnell of a Quilting Life. If you would also like this pattern I will leave a link to it below.
If you have listened to their A Quilting Life podcast you will hear Chelsi mention the fact that she loves heart blocks. I am 100% with her on this one. I have purchased patterns and books just because of a heart quilt block that has captured my eyes.
When she released this pattern, I fell in love with the hearts and kisses look of this pattern. I just had to add it to the Heartfelt Charity Quilt Along top.
There is one little problem though. This quilt block is an 8 1/2” quilt block. The pattern is written for 12 1/2” blocks. Thankfully it is easier to enlarge a quilt block than to shrink one.
Additional Cutting Instructions
2 – 4 1/2” x 8 1/2” background rectangles.
*Cut additional fabric for the smaller heart block in the corner.
You will need to purchase Chelsi’s pattern to get the instructions for the quilt block but also for the additional heart that I added to make this quilt block larger. This pattern is linked above.
Cut additional fabric for the smaller heart block. To achieve the same look switch the colors around in the pattern.
Tips and Tricks
Pressing the seams open for this quilt block will make this much easier to piece together. This is because you have to line up the flying geese with the inner heart block.
I did sew my flying geese using the 4 at a time method which saves you time at the sewing machine. Press these seams open as well.
Modification
Now onto growing this 8 1/2” quilt block to a 12 1/2” block. After sewing your 8 1/2” block sew a 4 1/2” x 8 1/2” rectangle to the side of the quilt block. Press the seam to the rectangle.
Take your 4 1/2” smaller heart block and sew the second 4 1/2” x 8 1/2” rectangle to it. Press your seam to the rectangle
Check your orientation so your heart block isn’t upside down.
Sew the main quilt block and your now 4 1/2” x 12 1/2” rectangle to each other. Pressing your seam toward the smaller heart. If the seam is stubborn, pressing your seam from the back will help lay this seam flatter.
Have fun playing with where the smaller heart block is orientated around the 8 1/2” quilt block. I made 5 of these quilt blocks so I made sure to have the smaller heart block in all 4 corners around the quilt block.
Donation
If you haven’t already please consider making a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. These patterns are available because Fat Quarter Shop has made them available for free to help raise money for this organization. Click the link below to make a donation directly to Make-A-Wish.
DonateI can’t believe it but this is the last quilt block for this top. In the next post in this series, I will be providing free finishing instructions for the additions I made to this quilt top. Please subscribe to my newsletter so you don’t miss a post.
Do you love heart quilt blocks as much as Chelsi and myself? Let me know in the comments below what is your favorite heart quilt block and who is it from. I would love to add to my heart quilt block collection.
