Quilt block · Five-patch · Intermediate
Broken Heart quilt block
Flying geese point in from every side to a center half-square triangle, with diagonal bands across the corners, one half of the block red and the other gold like a heart broken in two.
What to cut for one block
A 6″ finished block measures 6½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
4 corner triangles, 4 bands, 4 rectangles and 12 geese
- C4 squares 2¾″then cut with template C
- A4 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- D12 rectangles 1⅞″ × 1¼″then cut with template D
- F4 rectangles 1¾″ × 1⅛″then cut with template F
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 corner pieces and 13 triangles
- B4 rectangles 2⅜″ × 2⅛″then cut with template B
- A1 square 1¾″then cut with template A
- E12 squares 1¼″then cut with template E
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 corner pieces and 13 triangles
- B4 rectangles 2⅜″ × 2⅛″then cut with template B
- A1 square 1¾″then cut with template A
- E12 squares 1¼″then cut with template E
Between the lines. Broken Heart cuts cleanly at 5″ or 7½″. At 6″ its half-square triangles' short sides are ³⁄₅″, so they need templates.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 9″ finished block measures 9½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
4 corner triangles, 4 bands, 4 rectangles and 12 geese
- C4 squares 3⅞″then cut with template C
- A4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template A
- D12 rectangles 2½″ × 1⅝″then cut with template D
- F4 rectangles 2⅜″ × 1½″then cut with template F
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 corner pieces and 13 triangles
- B4 rectangles 3¼″ × 2⅞″then cut with template B
- A1 square 2⅜″then cut with template A
- E12 squares 1½″then cut with template E
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 corner pieces and 13 triangles
- B4 rectangles 3¼″ × 2⅞″then cut with template B
- A1 square 2⅜″then cut with template A
- E12 squares 1½″then cut with template E
Between the lines. Broken Heart cuts cleanly at 7½″ or 10″. At 9″ its half-square triangles' short sides are ⁹⁄₁₀″, so they need templates.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 12″ finished block measures 12½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
4 corner triangles, 4 bands, 4 rectangles and 12 geese
- C4 squares 4⅞″then cut with template C
- A4 squares 3″then cut with template A
- D12 rectangles 3″ × 1⅞″then cut with template D
- F4 rectangles 3″ × 1¾″then cut with template F
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 corner pieces and 13 triangles
- B4 rectangles 4¼″ × 3⅝″then cut with template B
- A1 square 3″then cut with template A
- E12 squares 1¾″then cut with template E
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 corner pieces and 13 triangles
- B4 rectangles 4¼″ × 3⅝″then cut with template B
- A1 square 3″then cut with template A
- E12 squares 1¾″then cut with template E
Between the lines. Broken Heart cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″. At 12″ its half-square triangles' short sides are 1¹⁄₅″, so they need templates.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
How it’s sewn
For the 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam: Background C piece to Dark B piece. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 6 flying geese units: Background and Dark
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 3 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam: Background C piece to Medium B piece. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit
Sew a Dark A triangle to a Medium A triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 6 flying geese units: Background and Medium
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew 3 flying geese units and a Background F piece together in a column. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew a Background F piece and 3 flying geese units together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Sew the units into 3 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 3 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 3 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam: Background C piece to Dark B piece. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 6 flying geese units: Background and Dark
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 3 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam: Background C piece to Medium B piece. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit
Sew a Dark A triangle to a Medium A triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 6 flying geese units: Background and Medium
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew 3 flying geese units and a Background F piece together in a column. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew a Background F piece and 3 flying geese units together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Sew the units into 3 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 3 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 3 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam: Background C piece to Dark B piece. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 6 flying geese units: Background and Dark
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 3 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam: Background C piece to Medium B piece. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit
Sew a Dark A triangle to a Medium A triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 6 flying geese units: Background and Medium
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew 3 flying geese units and a Background F piece together in a column. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 2 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 2 sections
Sew a Background F piece and 3 flying geese units together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Sew the units into 3 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 3 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 3 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
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Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
On its 20 × 20 grid, 6″, 9″ and 12″ put some pieces between the ⅛″ marks, so they need templates. It cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″.
Can I paper piece it?
Yes. It splits into 8 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H), each sewn on its own paper in order and then joined with straight seams. In Quarter Inch, the Foundations tab prints its papers at true size (with Quilter).
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s an intermediate block: 58 pieces in 6 different shapes and 46 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.