Sew the Quilt Blocks
Use a scant 1/4" seam allowance unless instructed otherwise, placing units right sides together for sewing and matching raw edges carefully.
Cutting
Cut carefully. Patches are small, and even slight variations can create issues when you assemble the quilt.Red:
- (16) 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" squares (blocks)
- (32) 1-5/8" x 1-5/8" squares (half square triangles -- squares are oversize, allowing you to cut units back to the perfect dimension after assembly; use another method if desired, but make sure each completed unit measures exactly 1" x 1" before sewing it into the block
- (9) 2" x 2" squares (cornerstones)
Purple:
- (1) 1" x 4-1/2" bar (strip pieced block center bars)
- (2) 7/8" x selvage width strips plus (2) 7/8" x 9" strips (sashing)
Black:
- (8) 1" x 2" bars (blocks)
- (16) 1" x 1" squares (blocks)
- (2) 2" x 4-1/2" bars (strip pieced block center bars)
- (1) 1-1/4" x selvage width strip plus (1) 1-1/4" x 9" strip (pieced sashing)
- 1-1/2" wide strips for inner border, do not cut yet
Before beginning, read the easy sandwich method of half square triangle assembly.
- Use the easy sandwich method to pair a 1-5/8" black square with a red square of the same size. The result will be two half square triangle units (HSTs) that likely measure just under 1-1/4" square. Trim the units to measure exactly 1" x 1". Refer to page 5 of the HST article if you aren't sure how to cut units so that each half of the block is equal.
- Repeat with remaining 1-5/8" red and black squares to make a total of 64 identical HSTs.
- Sew a 2" x 4-1/2" black strip to each side of the 1" x 4-1/2" purple strip (matching 4-1/2" edges). Press seam allowances towards the black strips.
- Square up one end of the strip set and cut (4) 1" long segments from it.
- Refer to the illustration, upper left. Sew the top horizontal row containing a 1" x 1" black square and two of the HSTs as shown; double-check the arrangement of units in HSTs. Press seam allowances towards the direction of the black square.
- Sew two HSTs in a vertical row as shown, checking the alignment of red triangles. Press. Sew a 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" red square to the right side of the unit. Press seam allowance towards the right square.
- Join the two rows you just created. Press seam allowances towards the section with large red square.
- Make three more identical units.
- Sew a 1" x 2" black bar between two of the "paw" units as shown (left, lower). Press seam allowances towards the black bars. Repeat to combine two more blocks and a black bar.
- Sew a black/purple strip pieced unit between the two block/bar units as shown. Press seam allowances towards the black/purple unit. The block should measure 4" x 4".
- Make three more Bear's Paw Quilt blocks.
