Bear Paw Barn Quilt Pattern
The Bear's Paw block — four pawprints radiating from a central square. A pioneer favorite.
Planning the board? Use the sizing calculator for exact cell and border measurements, or read the paint color guide before you buy paint.
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Grid
- 8 × 8
- Colors
- 8
- Suggested board sizes
- 2′ × 2′, 3′ × 3′, 4′ × 4′
About the Bear Paw block
Bear Paw is a classic American patchwork design whose distinctive triangular “claws” grew from the sawtooth forms seen in early quilts. By the nineteenth century, versions of the block were appearing as recognizable patterns, although its name varied from place to place.
Bear’s Paw, Bear Claw and even Duck’s Foot in the Mud have all been associated with closely related designs. That naming history is a reminder that traditional quilt patterns often traveled between communities long before standardized pattern books gave them fixed names.
Learn more about the history
Tips for painting a Bear Paw barn quilt
Brown paws on a cream background is the traditional palette, but black on red is striking.
Ready to design your Bear Paw?
Customize the colors in the online designer and download a printable paint-by-color plan with a grid diagram.
Open in the designerPainted the Bear Paw? Share your photo.
We feature finished quilts from real makers in the gallery — it helps other painters see how the Bear Paw looks in different color combinations.