Description
A grid of colorful bear faces, each one a different fat quarter in a different cheerful color, staring out from a neutral gray background. These are bear heads only -- round, expressive, a white muzzle on every face, contrasting inner ears, and dark eyes and noses. Some wear optional glasses. Elizabeth Hartman's Bjorn Bear is a pattern built entirely around the concept of using one fat quarter per bear and letting the color do the work. The Picnic Quilt, with 25 bears arranged five across and five down in a full spectrum of colors, is one of the most straightforwardly joyful quilts in her catalog.
The construction is all conventional patchwork -- no paper piecing. At Skill Level 3 of 5, this is a genuine intermediate project with clear instructions and a consistent block construction that gets faster once the first bear is learned.
What the Pattern Includes
This listing is for the printed paper pattern only. Fabric, batting, backing, and notions are not included.
The pattern booklet includes instructions for three quilt sizes and a 20" x 20" pillow cover. Each bear block measures 12" tall x 13" wide. A complete list of cut pieces for a single block is included, making it easy to use scraps or make individual blocks as standalone projects.
- Pillow Cover (20" x 20"): 1 block
- Child Quilt (51" x 63"): 12 blocks
- Lap Quilt (66" x 78"): 20 blocks
- Picnic Quilt (81" x 78"): 25 blocks
The optional glasses appliqué uses a full-size pattern included in the booklet -- a raw-edge appliqué requiring a 6" x 13" piece of fabric and a 6" x 13" piece of lightweight fusible web per pair.
What You'll Need
Each bear block uses one fat quarter (18" x 21") for the face and ears. All sizes also need:
- Dark solid fabric (eyes and noses): 1/8 yard (pillow) to 3/8 yard (lap/picnic)
- White solid fabric (muzzles): 1/8 yard (pillow) to 3/4 yard (lap/picnic)
- Background fabric: 3/8 yard (pillow), 2-1/4 yards (child), 3-1/4 yards (lap), 3-1/2 yards (picnic)
- Backing, binding, and batting sized to each quilt (see pattern back for details)
For the pillow: 1-1/2 yards muslin for pillow lining, two 3" x 3" fabric scraps for the contrasting ears, and a 20" pillow form. A fabric marking tool is also required.
Perfect For
- Quilters comfortable with intermediate patchwork who want a pattern where every fat quarter is a complete creative decision
- Anyone working through a stash of beloved solids or small prints in many colors
- A child's bedroom, playroom, or gift for anyone who loves bears, animals, or bold color
- Quilters who have made Cats in Pajamas or Dogs in Sweaters and want another pattern in the same spirit
- Anyone drawn to the optional glasses -- they give individual blocks enormous personality
Why You'll Love This Pattern
One fat quarter per bear means the planning stage is genuinely enjoyable. Choose 25 colors, arrange them into a spectrum, and the Picnic Quilt essentially designs itself. The bears read as a collection, not a pattern, which is what makes the finished quilt so visually engaging. The muzzle and contrasting ears create just enough variety within each block to keep things interesting without changing the construction.
The optional glasses are worth doing on at least one bear. The same appliqué approach used in Dogs in Sweaters requires just a small piece of fabric and fusible web, and the difference between a bespectacled bear and a non-bespectacled bear is genuinely funny. A pillow with a single glasses-wearing bear on a contrasting background is one of the most satisfying quick projects in Elizabeth Hartman's catalog.
Bjorn Bear has been in print since 2015 and updated in 2017. The block construction is well-proven and the instructions are clear and thoroughly diagrammed.
Product Details
- Brand: Elizabeth Hartman
- Item #: EH028
- Designer: Elizabeth Hartman
- Category: Quilting Pattern
- Skill Level: Skill Level 3 of 5 (Elizabeth Hartman's rating); single repeating block; small pieces; experience with accurate patchwork piecing required
- Technique: Standard Machine Sewing, Conventional Patchwork
- Block Size: 12" tall x 13" wide
- Finished Sizes: 81" x 78" Picnic Quilt (25 blocks) | 66" x 78" Lap Quilt (20 blocks) | 51" x 63" Child Quilt (12 blocks) | 20" x 20" Pillow Cover
- Format: Printed Paper Pattern
- Made in the United States
Specifications
| Brand | Elizabeth Hartman |
| Craft(s) | Quilting |
| Designer | Elizabeth Hartman |
| Product-Type | Pattern |
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