Classic & Vintage–the Bear Paw

I’m so excited to share with you the newest block the Fat Quarter Shop is featuring as part of their ‘Classic & Vintage Series’ – the Bear Paw! The Fat Quarter Shop is using the Classic & Vintage series to take classic, traditional blocks and make it fresh for today!  Check out their latest video on the Bear Paw HERE.  If you want to give it a try – download the block pattern HERE and a full quilt pattern PDF can be purchased HERE.  When they asked for bloggers to use the pattern and show their viewers how we chose our fabrics and how it turned out – I was in immediately! I started out by browsing the fabrics at the Fat Quarter Shop to come up with my color scheme. Of all the different types of solids out there I’ll admit that I’m completely addicted to the Grunge Basics collection.  I decided to get a fat quarter bundle of it for the Bear Paw project.  Because it’s me – I couldn’t JUST use solids.  I wanted to add a little bit of pattern in there too.  After checking out the Fat Quarter Shop’s great sale fabric section – I found this – Pat Bravo’s Carnaby Street Berry Groovy Vibes fabric!  It was perfect! So I got to work and started cutting into the fabrics!  It turns out – you can get enough fabric cut for one inside and one outside of the bear paw block from one fat quarter.  There’s still a little to spare but not enough for a whole paw – great for a later scrap quit or who knows – maybe to use in the sashing or border.  Here was the first color combination I went with!  I just love the purple and golden yellow – although I admit, it does remind me a bit of the Viking’s.  I was officially hooked!  Time to make some more Bear Paw blocks! Block 2 Block 3 Block 4 Block 5 – this is my favorite color combination!  Can’t you just see this as a Christmas quilt combination!? Block 6 Block 7 Block 8 Block 9 Here are the nine bear paw blocks I have done so far!  I have enough cut to make quite a few more – it’s going to be a big quilt!  I really love how by doing these you really get a sense of what some more uncommon color combination look like and react to each other.  I’m also so excited that I was allowed to finally share this with you all – I’ll be posting my blocks as I keep going! Well – I couldn’t just stop and show you a few unfinished blocks – I wanted to have a finished project to share with you too!   So I decided to make a miniature Christmas Bear Paw quilt.  These blocks finish at 14” add a little border and you have a 16” block – plenty big for a mini quit.  I used Jason Yenter’s fabulous print ‘Magic of Winter Red Woven Ribbons’ (seriously this is fabric is beyond amazing!  I think I want ten million more yards!!!!) with a solid red to create a fun little wall hanging. I added 1.5” borders in red and bound in the Ribbon fabric.  Some straight line echo quitling for the final touch!  It’s dramatic and perfect for the holidays’ without being so holiday-y that you couldn’t keep it up year round!  And hey – it may even be my ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ Project QUILTING Entry … Have you made a quilt using the classic bear paw block?  I’d love to see it!  Please link up a picture below!   Be sure to come back and share once you use the Fat Quarter Shop’s tutorial to make your very own Classic & Vintage Bear Paw Quilt!

  Don’t forget!  The Fat Quarter Shop has made it super easy for you to join in the fun! With …

• a video
• a block tutorial
• a full quit pattern PDF