Seven Patch Quilt Block Directions

14" Block

 Bear Paw

A more challenging quilt block, the Bear Paw can be pieced without templates using rotary cutting and speed piecing techniques.

Help, I need a quick review of Rotary Cutting and Speed Piecing.

You can also use our Easy Piecing Triangle Templates!!

Note: all seam allowances are 1/4" unless otherwise specified.


Fabric

The Bear Paw block uses two different fabrics.

 one focus fabric

 one background fabric


Cutting the fabric

This block requires:

 four 4-1/2" squares of focus fabric
 four 2-1/2" x 6-1/2" rectangles of background fabric
 one 2-1/2" square of focus fabric
four 2-1/2" squares of background fabric - Note: This was omitted in the orginal instructions - sorry for any problems it may have caused!! - I'll get the illustration in asap
 two 5-3/4" squares of focus fabric
 two 5-3/4" squares of background fabric


 Piecing the block

 1) On the wrong side of the 5-3/4" square of background fabric, mark a line from 2-7/8" away from each edge of the square, dividing the square in half, as shown. This will create four smaller squares. Next, mark a diagonal line in each square as shown. Repeat on the wrong side of the second 5-3/4" background fabric square.
 2) Place the 5-3/4" focus fabric square and the marked 5-3/4" background fabric square right sides together and edges mathing with the marked square on the top. Sew 1/4" away from the diagonal lines as shown. Repeat with the second 5-3/4" focus fabric square and marked 5-3/4" background fabric square.

3) With a rotary cutter, cut the sewn 5-3/4" squares apart on the marked lines as shown. Each sewn square should yield eight 2-1/2" half-square triangle units for a total of sixteen 2-1/2" half-square triangles. Press the seam allowances toward the focus fabric.

Note: Steps 1, 2 and 3 can be replaced by using Easy Piecing Triangle Templates for 2" finished blocks.

 4) Take two of the units completed in Step 3 and piece together as shown. Repeat with six more units from Step 3 for a total of four completed rectangles measuring 2-1/2" x 4-1/2". Press seam allowances toward the left hand half-square trinagle block.
 5) Take one of the rectangles completed in Step 4 and piece to one of the 4-1/2" squares of focus fabric as shown. Repeat with the three remaining Step 4 rectangles and the three remaining 4-1/2" focus fabric squares. Press seam allowances toward the focus fabric square. These completed units should measure 4-1/2" x 6-1/2".
 6) Take two of the eight remaining units from Step 3 and piece together as shown. Note: This unit is the mirror image of the rectangles completed in Step 4. Repeat with the six remaining Step 3 units. Press seam allowance toward the right hand half-square triangle unit. The resulting rectangles should measure 2-1/2" x 4-1/2".
 7) Take one of the rectangles completed in Step 6 and piece to one of the 2-1/2" squares of background fabric as shown. Repeat with the three remaining Step 6 rectangles and three remaining 2-1/2" background fabric squares. Press seam allowances toward the 2-1/2" background fabric squares. These completed units should measure 2-1/2" x 6-1/2".
 8) Take one of the units completed in Step 5 and one of the units completed in Step 7 and piece together as shown to form the bear's "paw". Repeat with the three remaining Step 5 and Step 7 units. Press seam allowances toward the Step 5 unit. The completed "paw" units should measure 6-1/2" square.
 9) Using two of the "paw" units completed in Step 8 and one of 2-1/2" x 6-1/2" background fabric rectangles piece together as shown to form the top row of the Bear Paw quilt block. Besure to have the "paws" going in the right direction. Repeat with the two remaining Step 8 "paw" units and 2-1/2" x 6-1/2" background fabric rectangles to complete the bottom row of the Bear Paw block. Press the seam allowances toward the 2-1/2" x 6-1/2" background fabric rectangles. These completed rows should measure 6-1/2" x 14-1/2".
 10) Piece together the two remaining 2-1/2" x 6-1/2" background fabric rectangles with the 2-1/2" square of focus fabric as shown. This completes the middle row of the Bear Paw block. Press the seam allowances toward the background fabric rectangles. The completed row shound measure 2-1/2" x 14-1/2".
 11) Take the middle row completed in Step 10 and piece together with the top row and the bottom row completed in Step 9. Press the seam allowances toward the center row of the block. The completed Bear Paw quilt block should measure 14-1/2" square which includes a 1/4" seam allowance on all sides.
© Susan E Traudt 1998
 World Wide Quilting Page * Seven Patch Blocks