Hive 3 January Tutorial: Bear Paw Block for Helen

Bear Paw Block for Helen

Hello everyone, Happy New Year to you all, I can't quite believe it is 2025 which is my 60th to go round the sun. This is my 7th Stash Bee and 4th as Hive leader. I don't take part in many swaps these days but I love this one and so join up every year. It is so much fun finding out which block each hive member would like us to make.

I am a member of Capital Quilters, a guild based in Lower Hutt, Wellington where I used to live. It is probably the largest guild in New Zealand at 180 - 190 members. It is their 40th anniversary in June this year (2025) and in celebration of this milestone, we are all encouraged to make a quilt featuring our signature block The Hand of Friendship (Bear Paw for short).

Last year my dear friend, Maree (who is in our hive again this year) asked us to make Halloween themed Bear Paw blocks and I thought "perfect, I will do that this year and kill 2 birds with 1 stone getting a Halloween themed quilt made of the Hand of Friendship block".

I am asking you all to make one block (you can make more for me if you wish - they are a bit addictive with the fussy cutting opportunities) of a bear paw block that is 14 inch unfinished and 13 and 1/2 inch finished in the quilt. 

Fabric inspiration.

I am looking for blocks made with a variety of Halloween themed fabrics in shades of low volume white, black, grey, orange, mauve, and purple with splashes of red, peach and crimson. If you have a fussy cut Halloween motif in another shade that is fine, just make sure you don't use it for the background, sashing or claws. Please make sure there is some contrast between the paws and the background/sashing fabrics. 

Here is 2 examples of blocks I have made.

As you can see I have featured skulls, pumpkins, cats, crows, crosses, owls, skeletons etc. 

Here is some fabric inspiration.

Background and sashing:

Bear paws and claws variety of fabrics:

                                                                                                                                                                     

Cutting Instructions

Piece	Fabric	Qty
1	A	1			2" x 2"
2	B4 or B8	4 8			4½" x 4½" 2½" x 2½"
3**	C	2			6¼" x 6¼"
4**	Background	2			6¼" x 6¼"
5	Background	4			2" x 6½"
6	Background	4			2½" x 2½"
Unfinished Block Size					14"

**These are the oversized patches that will be trimmed to perfection AFTER stitching.

Fabrics 

1. Fabric A is a small square which can be coloured or black and white - fussy cut if you wish
2. Fabric B - Halloween Fabric (or other fabrics as suggested) 
3. Fabric C - Black and White, Black, or Black and Grey or Grey or Orange or Mauve/Purple
4. Background - White or White on White or Slightly Off White Low volume fabric - with interesting black or grey details if you wish.
5. Background - White or White on White or Slightly Off White Low volume fabric - with interesting black or grey details if you wish.
6. Background - White or White on White or Slightly Off White Low volume fabric - with interesting black or grey details if you wish.

Fabrics 4, 5 and 6 can be the same or different low volume whites.

Making 8 at a time HST for the Claws

The HSTs that make up the claws (position 3 in diagram) are made using the 6.25" squares. You make 8 at a time and they come together quite quickly. I used directional fabric for one of my backgrounds and this method works perfectly in making sure the fabrics all end up the correct way.

Here are a few photos showing the stitching lines and cutting lines.

You need to join a background square and a Fabric C square with right sides together. Mark the 2 diagonal lines so that you have an X. Sew 1/4 inch either side of both of these lines. You will then cut down the centre top to the bottom, and centre left to right (like a +). You also need to cut along the diagonal lines which you drew initially. Repeat for the other set of squares and you will end up with 16 HSTs. These need to be trimmed down to 2.5" squares.

One of my favourite rulers is my Bloc Loc square which makes trimming these HSTs to size so much easier. I am also lucky enough to have a little rotating cutting mat which is also a favourite tool.

Mark the fabric with the X

Sew the 1/4 inch seams either side of the lines

                                                                                                        

Showing it cut apart ready to press open.

                                                                                  

I tend to press my seams open but you can press to the dark side it you wish. Trim these to 2 and 1/2 inch squares.

Layout

Lay your pieces out so you can see how your block will look and get any directional fabrics up the right way before you sew.

You can see this block has one of the paws as a 4 patch (see cutting instructions alternative above in the table). The 4 patch pieces are cut at 2 and 1/2 inches then sewn together to make a 4 and 1/2 inch patch.

                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                                          

Sew your claws together, sew the claws to the paws then sew the paws to the sashing.

 Keeping your points

It can be so easy to lose your points when sewing HST to other pieces of fabric. This is where the 1/4 inch seam allowance is so important. Please check your seam allowance. Once sewn, your seams should look like this so the points are crisp.

See the seam on the right - it just skims to the left of the point.

The other side of the block showing the lovely point. If your points are being cut off you need to check your cutting size and sewn seam allowance. Move your needle across so you get an accurate 1/4 inch seam.                                                                                                       

                                                                                                      

Hopefully you can find some Halloween or quirky fabric in your stash and make me some cute Halloween Bear Paw blocks. 

Your block should be 14 inches unfinished.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

And please have fun - can't wait to see your blocks.

Helen