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Block of the Month 2000

November 2000 - 18" Block

 Bear's Den

Fabric

The Bear's Den Block uses three different fabrics.

 Fabric - A

 Fabric - B

 One background fabric


Cutting the fabric

This Block requires:

 two 6-7/8" squares of fabric A
 two 5-3/4" squares of fabric B
 two 5-3/4" squares of background fabric
 five 2-1/2" squares of fabric B
 sixteen 2-1/2" squares of background fabric
 eight 2-1/2" x 4-1/2" rectangles of fabric B
 six 2-7/8" squares of background fabric
 four 2-1/2" x 6-1/2" rectangles of background fabric


 Piecing the Block

 1) Light mark the wrong side of the 5-3/4" background fabric squares as shown. First, divide the squares into four equal parts by making a line 2-7/8" from each side. Then mark a diagonal line dividing each of the resulting squares in half.
 2) Place one of the 5-3/4" fabric B squares and one of the marked background fabric, right sides together, with the marked square on the top. Next, sew 1/4" away from each of the diagonal lines as shown. Repeat with the second fabric B and marked background fabric squares.
 3) Cut apart the squares sewn in Step 2 on the marked lines creating a total of sixteen half-square triangles units. Press the seam allowances toward fabric B. The completed squares should measure 2-1/2".
 4) Take one half-square triangle units from Step 3 and one of the 2-1/2" squares of background fabric and piece together as shown. Repeat with seven more of the Step 3 half-square triangle units and seven more background fabric squares. Press the seam allowances toward the background fabric square.
 5) Take two of the units completed in Step 4 and piece together as shown. Repeat with the remaining Step 4 units. Press the seam allowances in either directions. The completed square units should measure 4-1/2".
 6) Lightly mark a diagonal line on the wrong side of the eight remaining 2-1/2" background squares as shown.
 7) Take one of the 2-1/2" x 4-1/2" rectangles of fabric B and one of the marked 2-1/2" squares and place, right sides together, with the marked line placed as shown. Sew on the marked line. Repeat with three more rectangles and three more marked background fabric squares.
 8) Trim 1/4" away from the sewn line on the Step 7 units as shown. Press the seam allowances toward the background fabric square. The completed units should measure 2-1/2" x 4-1/2".
 9) Take one of the 2-1/2" x 4-1/2" rectangles of fabric B and one of the marked 2-1/2" squares and place, right sides together, with the marked line placed as shown. Sew on the marked line. Repeat with three more rectangles and three more marked background fabric squares.

Note: These pieces will be the mirror image of the units completed in Step 8.

 10) Trim 1/4" away from the sewn line on the Step 9 units as shown. Press the seam allowances toward the background fabric square. The completed units should measure 2-1/2" x 4-1/2".
 11) Cut each of the six 2-7/8" squares in half on the diagonal as shown. This will create twelve right angle triangles out of background fabric.
 12) Take one of the half-square triangle units from Step 3 and one of the right angle triangles and piece together as shown. Repeat with three more half-square triangle units and three more right angle triangles. Press the seam allowances toward the triangles.

Note: When joining the right angle triangles, always start sewing the seam on the flat side of the triangle, not the point.

 13) Take one of the units completed in Step 12 and one of the units completed in Step 8 and piece together as shown. Repeat with the three remaining Step 8 and Step 12 units. Press the seam allowances toward the Step 8 unit.
 14) Take one of the units completed in Step 5 and one of the units completed in 13 and piece together as shown being sure that all of the units are "pointing" in the correct direction. Repeat with the remaining Step 5 and Step 13 units. Press the seam allowances toward the Step 5 units.
 15) Take one of half-square triangle units from Step 3 and one of the right angle triangles from Step 11 and piece together as shown. Repeat with the final three half-square triangle units and three more of the right angle triangles. Press the seam allowances toward the right angle triangles.
 16) Take one of the units completed in Step 15 and piece it to one of the units completed in Step 10. Repeat with the remaining Step 10 and Step 15 units. Press the seam allowances toward the Step 10 units.
 17) Take one of the remaining right angle background fabric triangles and one of units completed in Step 16 and piece together as shown. Repeat with the three remaining Step 16 units and remaining right angle triangles. Press the seam allowances toward the right angle triangles.
 18) Take the unit completed in Step 14 and the unit completed in Step 18 and piece together as shown to complete the "bear's claws". Repeat with the remaining Step 14 and Step 18 units. Press the seam allowances toward the Step 14 units.
 19) Take the two 6-7/8" squares of fabric A and cut on the diagonal as shown to create four right angle triangles.
 20) Take one of the units completed in Step 18 and one of the triangles cut in Step 19 and piece together as shown to complete the "bear's paw". Repeat with the remaining Step 18 units and Step 19 triangles. press the seam allowances toward the Step 19 triangles. The completed "paws" should measure 8-1/2" square.
 21) Take one of the 2-1/2" squares of fabric B and one of the 2-1/2" x 6-1/2" rectangles of background fabric and join together as shown. Repeat with the three remaining background fabric rectangles and three more of the 2-1/2" fabric B squares. Press the seam allowances toward the background fabric rectangles. The completed units should measure 2-1/2" x 8-1/2".
 22) Join two of the units completed in Step 21 with the one remaining 2-1/2" fabric B square to create the center row of the quilt Block. Press the seam allowances toward the background fabric rectangles. The completed row should measure 2-1/2" x 18-1/2".
 23) Take two of the units completed in Step 20 and one of the units completed in Step 21 and piece together as shown to make the top row of the quilt Block. Repeat with the final pieces from Step 20 and Step 21 to complete the bottom row of the quilt Block. Press the seam allowances toward the Step 21 units. The completed rows should measure 8-1/2" x 18-1/2".
 24) Take the center row completed in Step 22 and the top and bottom rows completed in Step 23 and piece together as shown to completed the Bears Den quilt Block. Press the seam allowances toward the center of the Block. The completed Bears Den Block should measure 18-1/2" which includes a 1/4" seam allowance on all sides.
© Susan E Traudt 2000
 World Wide Quilting Page * Block of the Month 2000