since Betsy and i are leaving for India on January 1, (we're going to an orphanage in Kalinga to teach English, among other things...) i've gotten a head start on RSC26. in between ALL THE THINGS with traveling internationally, getting ready for family visits AND Christmas, i've found some time in the sewing room to methodically piece with my colorful 3" squares, and enjoy some quiet, contemplative, relaxing evenings...
i've never made a bear paw quilt (!!!), and thought i'd mix it up a bit this year and throw in some triangles with my squares.
i also made what i hope was an educated guess, and started with green. i went through all my little boxes of squares (i have them all divided into colors) and picked out 2 of each individual green. instead of trying to find 4 greens that "read" the same, i chose instead this year to make 4 patches, of a pleasing and contrasting monochromatic color way.
it's of course, much easier, less stressful and more relaxing to do this. and i did a few of the 4 patches into the bear paws, to see how i'd like them. after doing a dozen (!) i decided that to have the lighter patch in the corner next to the claws looked better; i'll do the remainder of the blocks this way.
above are the plates with the yellow, pink and purple 4 patches picked out and matched up. i've already cut out all the black claws, and the scrappy low volumes to pair into the triangles. i'll work on that as i'm able, and then of course when i get home in mid-February.
as i was going through all my boxes of squares to find the twosies for the 4 patches, i quickly realized that i wasn't really decreasing the amount of cut squares in any significant way... (i'm clever like that!)
so back to the boxes i went, and chose any and all squares that had 12 or 13 of a print. as i am able, or the mood strikes, i'll make these 25 patch blocks.
there are quite a few blocks in the enamel bowl; i'd guess to make at least 25-30 blocks. i've not paired them up yet, so that's just a guess...
another interesting fact: i've never made one of these- meaning a 25 patch. i've always focused on either a 4, 9 or 16 patch sized block. maybe this will help work through all these 3" blocks that i have!
