Welcome to Blockheads 6 – Week 19: “Wholehearted” by Jackie MacDonald!

We’re back with Block 19 of Blockheads 6, and this week’s design is Wholehearted by Jackie MacDonald of Sweetfire Road. Moda Marketing team member Alison Dale walks us through the simple steps to make this striking heart-shaped block.

You can find this week’s pattern here: BH6 – Block 19 – Wholehearted by Jackie MacDonald of Sweetfire Road

Follow along with Jackie!

Instagram: @sweetfireroad
sweetfireroad.com

If you’re new to Blockheads, here are a couple of quick things to know:

• This is a free quilt-along. No sign-ups are required. Just download the pattern and you’re ready to sew!
• The PDF patterns will be posted on the Moda blog and in the official Facebook group every Wednesday by 8:00 AM CDT.
• You can also bookmark this page: Blockheads 6 main page to find a convenient list of all the patterns as they are released.
• If you’d like to sign up for our blog newsletter to get blog posts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up here: Blog Newsletter Sign-Up 
• If you want to sew along with a virtual Blockheads community, head over to Facebook and join our official Moda Blockheads Facebook group. Our group is an active and vibrant community of 82,000 quilters and counting! It’s a great place to be inspired and share pictures of your Blockheads progress.
• If Instagram is where you prefer to hang out, be sure to follow us (@modafabrics) and the hashtags #modablockheads and #modablockheads6 to see the latest blocks from our designers and other Blockheads.

(Looking for a little more information about Blockheads? You can check out the Blockheads 6 archive HERE.)

Gathering Your Pieces

Start by downloading and printing the free block pattern, which includes step-by-step directions and a coloring sheet to help you audition fabric choices. For this block, you’ll only need three fabrics:

• a background,
• and two contrasting colors.

The block is constructed almost entirely from half-square triangles, plus two squares. It’s a straightforward design that comes together quickly once your units are ready.

Half-Square Triangles Made Easy

Alison demonstrates her favorite method for making half-square triangles using the Quick Quarter Tool. This handy ruler comes in both 6″ and 12″ sizes; she recommends the larger one for versatility if you like working with bigger HSTs.

Here’s how it works: line up the tool across your square, mark both stitching lines with a water-soluble pen, sew directly on the lines, then cut between them. Press your units open and square them up. Repeat until you have the required mix:

• four HSTs with background + Color A,
• four HSTs with background + Color B,
• six HSTs with Color A + Color B.

Assembling the Heart

Once your HSTs are ready, it’s all about layout. Place your squares and triangles following the pattern diagram—or experiment with turning pieces for a unique variation. The key is to keep the top and bottom points aligned so the heart shape comes through clearly.

Sew your units into rows, then sew the rows together. A quick press and your Wholehearted block is complete.

Two Colorways, Twice the Fun

Alison shares two versions of her block: one made with designer fabrics from Corey Yoder’s A Blooming Bunch and Heather Briggs’ Cottage Charm, paired with Moda basics like Grunge and Thatched. The second uses a different mix of colors, showing how fabric selection changes the look and feel of the heart.

Pro Tip: Use a coloring sheet before you sew! Trying out different color placements on paper helps you plan the perfect heart layout and saves time at the sewing machine.

Ready to make your Wholehearted block? Download your pattern and check out this week’s video, hosted by Moda Alison!

Thanks to Jackie MacDonald!

Special thanks to Jackie MacDonald for contributing this heartfelt design to the Blockheads 6 series. Don’t forget to share your Wholehearted blocks with us in the Moda Blockheads Facebook group, or post them on Instagram using #modablockheads6.

— The Moda Team