Bear's Paws

In December of 2020, with no end in sight to the Pandemic, I enrolled in an on-line course on color theory. It was given through a well-known quilt shop and it sounded like a worthwhile venture. I have never taken an art course of any kind since junior high (remembering Miss Green), but people often tell me that I have a good sense of color. My idea in taking this course was to understand what my gut was telling me.

The class was to begin in January and last for a year. I received my textbook. A special Facebook group was set up for sharing our work. Monthly meetings were to provide the instruction. The book recommended we make Bear's Paw blocks to fulfill the exercises in color study.

The class was a bit of a disappointment. Of the 30+ participants, only two of us used the Facebook group to share. I did benefit from the comments that the group mates left on my posts. The monthly meetings were really just drawn-out Show And Tell sessions and some of the participants had a great deal of difficulty in sharing their work via Zoom. I lasted through April and then put my blocks away and deleted the remaining meetings from my calendar.

During the current renovation of the studio project (yes, it is still ongoing), the Bear's Paws emerged from hibernation and made their way to the wall. My first idea for laying them out was way too busy. The second was uninspiring. And then came the third. I made three new blocks to complete my color plan. There are three blocks left over (they really should go on the back rather than to the Orphanage). The blocks finish at 6". My quilt flimsy is a good size for a toddler.