Bottomless Bear Paws Quilt Pattern – FQ version

I’m excited to show you a new quilt pattern today, called Bottomless Bear Paws.

It’s always fun to take a traditional pattern and give it a bit of a tweak, which is what I’ve done here. These bear paw blocks use a log cabin component to create a contrasting paw pad at the centre of the paw block.

In the version I’m showing you today the paw pad is a square. I’ll post in detail in a couple of days showing you a version where the paw pad is a little heart. There are instructions for both versions in this PDF quilt pattern.

Bottomless Bear Paws Details

So, here’s what you need to know.

The pattern has 5 quilt sizes. It also has 3 different block sizes that increase to cater for the larger quilt sizes. You can sew this pattern with a stack of FQs and a background fabric, this will give you the multi colour bear paw blocks with contrasting square paw pads you see here. The instructions also show you how to make this version with the heart paw pads, if you prefer.

Or, you can sew it with a background fabric and a single paw fabric (all paws will be the same colour), with your paw pads made from scraps (either squares, or the hearts).

Here are the quilt sizes, for your reference:

• Baby: 34½” x 43”
• Throw: 53½” x 64″
• Twin: 64″ x 85”
• Queen: 89½” x 102”
• King: 102″ x 102″

And here are the fabric requirements (add some scraps too, if you prefer your paw pads that way):

This baby size version made with FQs is very quick to sew up. Cutting is fast as you can stack your FQs and cut several at a time. Each FQ will give you bear paws and the paw pad squares, which you then mix and match. I always enjoy that part.

My Baby Size Bottomless Bear Paws Quilt

My Bottomless Bear Paw quilt was made with a low volume background fabric and 6 FQs in variations of cobalt blue, acid green, mustard yellow and grey.

I decided to quilt this one with some straight line quilting, using the diagonal seam lines. For some of the lines I used my hera marker to extend them into the side setting triangles, so that I stayed on track. (If you look at the top photo you’ll see what I mean.)

Here’s a closer look at the quilting:

Another set of lines to enclose the paw pad would’ve also been cute. But it also would’ve required more line marking. I admit that laziness won that round!

For binding I chose a black and white striped fabric. I think it looks really good with the bright colours and the little charcoal stars in the background fabric.

I’d intentions of hand stitching this binding, but in the end time got the better of me. Instead I sewed it down with a machine zigzag stitch in a dove grey thread. It blends in really well and you barely notice it.

The background fabric was such a lovely surprise. I was prepared to piece a backing when I found a long lost run of Libs Elliott yardage in my stash. I LOVE it when that happens! It was the perfect blend of grey and white that really suited the quilt top and chosen binding fabric. (This shows that I need to dive into the deep recesses of my stash more often. Who knows what I’m missing out on!)

Alright, that’s it for this FQ and background fabric version of the pattern. If you’d like to gather some FQs from your stash, or a fresh new fabric line, and create your own Bottomless Bear Paw quilt then you can find it here in the shop.

I’ll hope you’ll swing by and grab a copy for yourself. Find Bottomless Bear Paws right here.

I’ll be back soon with all the details of my alternate colourway quilt!

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