Sweethearts Mini Quilt Tutorial

I’m sort of obsessed with hearts (see some of my other ‘heart-themed’ tutorials here, here and here), and what better excuse to share another heart-themed tutorial with Valentine’s day just a few weeks away! I really love this one because it’s adorable, but it’s also doable! It’s small enough that you can complete it within a couple of days, and warning…assembling the mini hearts are addicting!

This Sweethearts Mini Quilt makes a cute wall hanging (mine is hanging next to my front door), or as the cutest table topper ever! Though it’s a mini, I’d love to see someone make a full size quilt out of these mini hearts some day.

Before I share the tutorial, here are some cute photos I snapped along the way… 🙂 Or you can skip and scroll down to get straight to business! 😉

 Below: my handsome quilt model
The fabric collection I used for this mini quilt is called Ambleside by Brenda Riddle for Moda fabrics, to be released March 2015.

My pattern is simple and you can use fabrics you have laying around in your stash or scraps. Thank you for being here, and I hope you enjoy this fun tutorial I’ve put together for you all!

Here’s a link to a printable PDF version for your convenience: Sweetheart Mini by Jera Brandvig

Materials for a 16.5″x17.5″ Sweethearts Mini Quilt:

  • Mini hearts: scrap fabrics or a charm pack/mini charm pack would work. 
  • White fabric: 1/4 yard or a fat quarter
  • Inner border: Fat eighth, or scraps at least 1″x11.5″ long
  • Outer border: one fat quarter
  • Binding: 1/8 yard
  • Backing: one fat quarter  

Note: When sewing, always use a 1/4″ seam allowance
Step 1: Assembling Mini Hearts

To make one mini heart, you will need: two 2″ squares and two 1.5″ squares from coordinating print fabrics, plus six 1″ squares and two 2″ squares from white fabric.

Take one 2″ square from your print fabric. Then take three 1″ squares and mark a diagonal line from corner to corner.

With right sides facing together, align one 1″ square along the corner of the 2″ print square. Sew exactly where you marked the diagonal line, and then trim 1/4″ away from where you sewed. Press the corner to open.

Repeat, but with the other two 1″ squares on two more corners. Make two of these.

Next, take one 2″ square from your white fabric.Then, take two 1.5″ squares from your print fabric and mark a diagonal from corner to corner.

With right sides facing together, align one 1.5″ square along the corner of the white square. Sew exactly where you marked the diagonal line, and then trim 1/4″ away from where you sewed. Press the corner to open. Make two of these.

Arrange the four pieces you assembled as show below to form a heart, then sew together.

Repeat the above to make a total of 9 mini hearts.

Step 2: Add Background Fabric
From white fabric, cut three 2″x3.5″ rectangles (A), one 1″x9.5″ strip (B), and two 1″x11.5″ strips (C) for the sides. Assemble as shown below.

Note: Although it’s not illustrated in my images, as you start assembling your hearts into rows and adding background fabric, the 1/4″ seam allowances will naturally round out the points in the hearts, to make the cutest little mini hearts!

Step 3: Add Borders
From your inner border fabric, cut four 1″x11.5″ strips (D) and (E). Attach in that order.
From your outer border fabric, cut two 3″x12.5″ rectangles (F), and two 3″x16.5″ rectangles (G). Attach in that order.

Step 4: Finish it! 
This mini quilt measures 16.5″x17.5″, so a fat quarter would work well for the backing fabric. Baste and then quilt. I did simple quilting and outlined the hearts with a 1/4″ seam allowance. To bind, cut two 2.5″ strip along the length of fabric. You can find an easy to follow binding tutorial here.

I gotta say, this quilt was an awesome excuse to buy Sweethearts and my favorite jelly sugar hearts…!! I’m such a sucker for seasonal candies.

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you make something beautiful!

32 Responses to Sweethearts Mini Quilt Tutorial

  1. Gilda January 29, 2015 at 1:11 pm #

    Love this sweet mini quilt! It's just the project I need right now. Thanks for the awesome tutorial.

  2. Lisa Walsh January 29, 2015 at 2:54 pm #

    I love this! Thank you so much for the tutorial!

  3. VickiT January 29, 2015 at 5:04 pm #

    I really love this quilt, especially how the hearts really look like hearts. So many quilts I've seen with hearts on them are blocky looking, if that makes sense. The tops just don't appear rounded like yours. Great tutorial. Thank you.

  4. catedove January 29, 2015 at 5:28 pm #

    I love everything about this quilt; the colors, the pattern, and thank you so much for sharing the tutorial!

  5. Filomena Crochet January 29, 2015 at 5:45 pm #

    belíssimo

  6. Ioleen January 29, 2015 at 6:21 pm #

    Love it!!!! Going to do one for my guild's Feb. 11th meeting as a door prize. So cute!!!

  7. Deanna McNay January 29, 2015 at 6:37 pm #

    This is so cute! Very valentine-y

  8. Julie @ The Crafty Quilter January 29, 2015 at 11:27 pm #

    This is so sweet! I just love a good heart project! Thank you for the tutorial.

  9. Marie Atkinson January 30, 2015 at 1:31 am #

    Very cute! and so do-able in a short time!

  10. jinsnapp January 30, 2015 at 2:15 am #

    So cute, but where's Paige?!!

  11. susiefloozie January 30, 2015 at 2:44 am #

    Very cute and scrappy!

  12. Daytona Damsel January 30, 2015 at 4:59 pm #

    What a cute quilt. Love all the pictures.

  13. liloca, liloquinha January 31, 2015 at 2:19 am #

    Lindo e fofo!!!!

  14. gibbygoo56 February 1, 2015 at 7:43 am #

    Adorable! I love it!

  15. Sheri February 2, 2015 at 5:26 am #

    This is such a sweet wall hanging! I just cut out the fabric to make the hearts and looking forward to starting tomorrow when I get off work. Thanks so much for the pattern!

  16. Linda February 3, 2015 at 11:55 pm #

    Adorable!!!

  17. Patricia February 5, 2015 at 3:14 pm #

    Thank you for the sweethearts mini! Checked out your other heart patterns and will be making the pillow this week.
    Thank you,

  18. Mobile App Developers June 26, 2015 at 10:26 am #

    Hi, Really great effort. Everyone must read this article. Thanks for sharing.

  19. Arlisa Jati October 22, 2015 at 8:51 am #

    So lovely, i currently attracted with quilting and patchworking,, find your blog such a luck for me, wish me to success creating those from your tutorial next..
    Thank you.

  20. Arlisa Jati October 22, 2015 at 8:52 am #

    So lovely, i currently attracted with quilting and patchworking,, find your blog such a luck for me, wish me to success creating those from your tutorial next..
    Thank you.

  21. Arlisa Jati October 22, 2015 at 8:52 am #

    So lovely, i currently attracted with quilting and patchworking,, find your blog such a luck for me, wish me to success creating those from your tutorial next..
    Thank you.

  22. Mitchell December 18, 2015 at 4:43 pm #

    What a lovely little quilt. Thank you so much for sharing. It will be very nice for my little Great Granddaughter's new dolly.

  23. chulacaprichosa January 17, 2016 at 7:32 am #

    perfect for my new grandbaby who's on her way!! thank you for sharing it's lovely

  24. Daytona Damsel January 24, 2016 at 8:53 pm #

    I like heart quilts too. Thanks for sharing this cute tutorial, I think I will give it a try.

  25. Yvonne March 5, 2016 at 12:38 pm #

    Absolutely lovely.

    • Quiltingintherain March 7, 2016 at 6:54 pm #

      Thank you!

  26. Cintia Santos March 11, 2016 at 12:33 am #

    Lovely pattern! I’ll make it right now! Thanks for sharing!

    • Quiltingintherain March 15, 2016 at 5:51 pm #

      Great – thank you and enjoy!

  27. Lynda Treen February 9, 2019 at 10:50 am #

    Love Love Love this. Sure wish you had a PDF, Pinterest save button, or print button. This mini quilt is darling. Hope to be able to make it one day.

  28. Jill February 15, 2019 at 8:18 pm #

    Love it!!! I’ve been looking for a small heart project (love hearts) and this is perfect!
    Thank you for sharing

  29. Donna February 11, 2021 at 3:25 pm #

    Just the cutest timeless pattern, thank you!

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  1. Quilting in the Rain | Pearltrees - September 5, 2017

    […] on display at the studio. Anyway, that’s it for now other than it’s been sunny here in Seattle. Sweethearts Mini Quilt Tutorial | Quilting in the Rain. I’m sort of obsessed with hearts (see some of my other ‘heart-themed’ tutorials here, here […]

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