Facets of the Heart: Rainbow Quilt Tutorial (or at least, guidance for making your own)

The Facets of the Heart block pattern has been one of my best sellers since I launched it for sale back in 2017. I have recently re-made it with an ombre of pink fabrics and turned it onto a cushion, did you see it? It seems to have appealed to so many of you as sales have taken off again (thank you everyone!).

I thought it might be nice to share with you an idea that I have had with regards to using the Facets of the Heart block in a quilt. I have so many ideas in my head as to how this block can be used, but really not enough time to make them all!

You may have seen my original rainbow version of the Facets of The Heart pattern. I added a couple of 2″ (finished) border strips around the outside and turned it into a mini quilt/wall hanging. It really is very striking (if I don’t say so myself) and just so cheerful. I generally keep mine on the door to my sewing room or on the wall. It genuinely makes me quite happy to have it around.

I have always thought that this rainbow palette would look great with this pattern … but in a whole quilt …. and with each of the hearts in a different colour! I have mocked up for you a suggested layout of how I would see this coming together. I also have a tutorial, of sorts for you. It’s a few suggested measurements (you could change these to suit) and a couple of illustrations in case you feel like tackling this for yourself!

Don’t you think this would look fabulous on a bed or in the living room, ready and waiting to be whipped out on a dreary day? I really think it would go a long way to putting a smile on your face when it’s pouring with rain outside!

This layout makes a quilt measuring 50″ x 50″ (127cm x 127cm)

You will need:

• A copy of the Facets of the Heart FPP pdf pattern (you can buy a copy here)
• A selection of fabrics to create hearts in 12 different rainbow shades.
• Background Fabric – enough for the background for all twelve hearts (approx 1.25m/6FQ, although you may be able to do it with less, depends on your experience and the technique you use for foundation paper piecing) PLUS 1.1m/44″ more to make the extra squares in the middle, the vertical and horizonal sashing strips and the borders.
• Backing Fabric – 2m of 44″ wide fabric (you’ll need to piece the back or use extra wide backing)
• Binding Fabric – 15″/40cm
• A large square quilting ruler to cut the middle squares
• A 24″ long ruler to cut the strips

From your background fabric cut the following:

• 4 x 10.5 squares
• 12 x 2.5″ WOF in total:
  • 3 x 2.5″ WOF strips, sub-cut into 12 x (2.5″ x 10.5″) rectangles for the vertical sashing strips
  • 6 x 2.5″ WOF srips, joined together and sub-cut into 5 x (2.5″ x 46.5″) rectangles for the 3 horizontal sashing strips and the top and bottom borders
  • 3 x 2.5″ WOF strips, joined together and sub-cut into 2 x ( 2.5″ x 60.5″) rectangles for the 2 vertical borders

Use the remaining background fabric when foundation paper piecing the twelve hearts.

Make up each of your 12 FPP hearts using the templates in the pattern. I wouldn’t necesarily suggest the Facets of the Heart pattern to a complete beginner, but if you’re feeling super confident then you can have a look at the video I filmed for Sewing Quarter for some help to get you started!

You will need all 12 completed FPP Facets of the Heart blocks (papers removed), the four (4) 10.5″ squares cut from the background fabric and the twelve (12) vertical sashing strips.

Using this layout guide, or a layout plan of your own, make up four rows.

You will need your four completed rows, plus three (3) of the 46.5″ x 2.5″ horizontal sashing strips.

Using the layout guide, join the four rows.

You will need your completed centre section , plus two (2) of the 46.5″ x 2.5″ border strips, plus the two (2) 60.5″ x 2.5″ border strips.

Using the layout guide, add the two smaller horizontal borders to the top and bottom, then add the vertical border strips to either side.

This is now your Rainbow Quilt top complete!

From here you can make a quilt sandwich, quilt as desired and bind to finish.

Not that I am getting carried away or anything, but wouldn’t this quilt design also look great with two-tone hearts? I’ll be honest, you’ll need a fairly sizeable stash, but there are plenty of us in the quilting community afflicted with the same problem!

I think a single two tone heart block would also look super made up into a cushion, don’t you think?

I really hope that you love this quilt idea as much as I do and that this tutorial (of sorts!) has given you some inspiration as to what you can do with your Facets of the Heart FPP block!

Still looking for inspiration? If you are then I have a Gallery of Makes blog post where I have started to load pictures of some of the different ways that the Facets of The Heart block has been used. Go and have a look to see what you think.

If you made something with the block I’d love to see it and it would be great to include it in the gallery!