How to Make a Scrappy Heart Quilt Block: Easy Scrap Quilt Tutorial

How to Make a Scrappy Heart Quilt Block: Easy Scrap Quilt Tutorial

There’s something a little magical about a scrappy quilt.  It’s like a patchwork journal; little, tiny pieces of past projects, favorite prints, and forgotten fabric bundles all stitched together into something brand new.

Back in 2022, I made my very first scrappy quilt (read about that quilt here). Before that, I honestly had no idea what to do with my scraps. They just lived in bins, quietly multiplying while I wished I knew how to use them. That first scrappy quilt included a heart block, and when I was recently using that quilt, the idea for an entire quilt made of scrappy hearts started to bloom.

And now, here we are.  The 2026 scrappy quilt project is officially underway, and I’d love for you to sew along with me.  If you’ve been wondering how to use fabric scraps in quilting, this scrappy heart quilt block is a perfect beginner-friendly place to start.

This year’s free pattern is a Scrappy Heart block, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: playful, modern, beginner-friendly, and full of personality.

Why Scrappy Heart Quilts Are Perfect for Beginners

Every year, I like to keep one slow, scrappy project going in the background. It’s a nice balance to more structured pattern samples and deadlines. A scrappy quilt gives you permission to just… sew. No overthinking, no perfect color plans, no pressure.

This heart block is perfect for that.

The quilt only needs 20 blocks for a throw-size finish, so you can:

• Make one or two blocks each month
• Sew them all at once
• Or just piece them whenever your scrap bin starts looking a little too full

There’s no timeline and no rules. It’s truly a sew-at-your-own-pace kind of project.

If you’ve ever felt stuck with your scraps, this is a great place to start. Just begin sewing a few pieces together, and you’ll be surprised how quickly the rhythm takes over.  Scrap quilts are one of the easiest ways for beginners to practice piecing while learning how to combine fabrics with confidence.

A Beginner-Friendly Scrappy Heart Quilt Block

This block is:

• Modern and playful
• 12” finished size
• Made with simple piecing
• Perfect for beginners

There are no complicated techniques here, just some straightforward sewing and a bit of corner snowballing. It’s the kind of block you can make while listening to a podcast, watching a show, or chatting with a friend.

This beginner quilt block is designed to help you turn small scraps into a cohesive and charming heart quilt design.  And because it’s scrappy, every single block will look a little different. That’s the charm of it.

Scrappy Heart Quilt Block Fabric Requirements

Scrappy Panels:

• Fabric scraps to make (2) panels measuring at least 6” x 11”

Background Fabric:

• (2) 3¾” squares
• (4) 1¾” squares
• (2) 1½” x 12½” rectangles
• (2) 1½” x 10½” rectangles

Step-by-Step Scrappy Heart Quilt Block Tutorial

Step 1: Create the Scrappy Panels

Sew together small scrap pieces into two panels measuring at least 6” x 11” each.  You will trim these down in the next step so feel free to sew the panels larger to give more room for trimming.  Press your seams open to help the panel lie flat.

Next, trim each panel to measure 5 1/2” x 10 1/2” inches. 

Step 2: Sew the Hearts

To make the heart block, you will snowball the corners of the scrappy panels. Begin by marking a diagonal line on the wrong side of all of the background squares.

Then, place and pin your background squares on your colored rectangles, RST, being mindful of the orientation of the background squares. Ensure that your scrappy panels become a mirrored image of one another.

Then, sew on the marked lines. Once sewn, trim, leaving a 1/4” seam allowance. See the dotted line on the diagram on the next page (right)and press toward the outer corner.

Next, place and pin, RST, the two heart halves together. Sew using a 1/4” seam and then press the seam open.

Sew the top and bottom 1 1/2” x 10 1/2” strips to your heart block. Place and pin the strips RST and sew using a 1/4” seam. Press seams open.

Lastly, sew the left and right 1 1/2” x 12 1/2” strips to your heart block. Place and pin the strips, RST and sew using a 1/4” seam. Press seams open.

Your block should now measure 12½” unfinished (12” finished).  And just like that, you’ve got a scrappy heart.

Join the 2026 Scrappy Heart Quilt Sew-Along

I’ll be making one or two blocks each month throughout the year. It’s a relaxed, low-pressure project, perfect for using scraps as they build up.  This easy heart quilt block is a great scrap quilt tutorial for quilters who want a low-pressure, creative project.

If you’d like to join in, download the free Scrappy Heart pattern (click here to have it emailed to you!), and share your blocks with me; I’d truly love to see them.

More of a visual person?  Watch the step-by-step video tutorial on YouTube.

There’s something special about watching these scrappy quilts come together over time. Every block is a little surprise, and by the end, you have something completely unique.

Why Scrap Quilts Are So Special

If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start with your scraps, let this be your gentle invitation.

You don’t need a perfect plan.
You don’t need the right fabric.
You don’t even need a deadline.

Just sit down, sew a few scraps together, and see where it leads.

My hope is that every heart you make brings a little spark of happiness to your sewing space. Because at the end of the day, quilting isn’t about perfection, it’s about the joy of making something with your own two hands.

And I’m so glad you’re here, sewing along with me.