September Bear Paw

By all these lovely tokens September days are here. With summer's best of weather and autumn's best of cheer. 

Hello Bee Friends! I'm so glad it's September. It's one of my favorite months of the year. I'm so sorry to be posting a few days late this month. August was a whirlwind and September was here before I knew it.

The block I've chosen for my month is old and tried and true. I've been reading a lot of Civil War history lately and came across a story about Bear Paw Quilts being used to guide escaped slaves along the Underground Railroad. I loved that story so much, I knew I had to make a Bear Paw Quilt.

A Bear Paw has been on my "To Make" list for as long as I have been quilting. I have a funny story to tell. Long ago, when my husband and I were engaged, my entire family went on a vacation to the Bahamas. Some of you may know my mom, Leslie Ison. She asked my soon-to-be husband to carry her featherweight sewing machine from Salt Lake City, all the way to our destination at Green Turtle Cay. He carried it on planes, through airports, on mail boats, ferries, and taxis. She was planning on making a wedding quilt for us while we were on our two week vacation. Before we left, my mom asked my husband to look at quilt blocks and decide what he liked for our quilt. He chose a Bear Paw. But my mom, being her own quilt boss, made us an Ohio Star, and of course finished a queen sized quilt, when a normal person would be doing nothing on a beach. It is a lovely quilt, but I've always thought my husband would love a Bear Paw to snuggle under.

The fabric I've chosen are mostly 30s, my very favorite. They remind me of September... with greens, yellows, oranges, and blues. The fabrics make me think of harvest and fall. The background is unbleached muslin from Moda.

I will send instructions for the block out in an email this evening. I used a new (for me) method of making 8 half square triangles at once. Here's a tutorial with a handy size chart. Just be sure you have an accurate scant 1/4" and you will be great. Since it's an easy peasy block, I've included enough fabric to make two.

Now for my question for you all: What quilt has been on your "To Make" list the longest, that you've never gotten around to making? Is there a story of why you'd like to make it? Or why you haven't? Technically that was more than one question...

Thank you everyone! I'm so grateful to be in this bee with such amazing partners! Let me know if you have any questions.

Bee Block Questionnaire

What size quilt block do you want your bee partners to make? (Give finished and unfinished measurements, just to be sure.)

This is such a quick and easy block, so I've sent enough fabric to make two blocks - They will measure 11" unfinished.

Can your partners use any of their own stash fabric to use in your quilt block? If so, are there any limitations?

I've provided all the fabric you will need.

Is there a specific color of thread (white/off white) you want your partners to sew with?

Any light colored thread is fine.

Do your partners have to use at least a little bit of every fabric you send or can your partners decide?

I've precut the blocks, so you will use it all.

Can you link us to any flickr or Pinterest photos that you would like us to use as inspiration for your quilt block? There are so many pretty Bear Paw Quilts out there, but here are a few that I have pinned. I especially like the two color versions.
https://www.pinterest.com/search/my_pins/?q=bear%20paw%20quilt