February! Time to meet the Blue Bear of High Hopes!

I know some of you have been waiting (patiently?!) since quite early January for the next bear in the Beary Colourful BOM. I must say, I was mightily impressed at how quickly red bears started appearing after the first pattern was released, and I want to thank everyone who shared a red bear with me last month. I think we will need to have a teddy bear’s picnic at some point!

So, without further ado, here is our Blue Bear of High Hopes. I have done him twice in two slightly different sets of fabric, because I like to double-check the pattern for you. At the end of the year I will have enough blocks for two bear quilts. I’m not seeing a downside to this, are you?!  🙂

The Blue Bear of High Hopes

February’s Blue Ted believes in himself and is stretching to achieve something new. He is reaching for the stars, but only in the things that are important to him – he knows it is not possible to be awesome at everything and that’s ok. He hopes that other people will think big too – not because they have to, but because they want to. 

The Blue Bear has a rocket and stars on his belly to remind himself to act to bring his big dreams a step closer to being realised and to take healthy pride in his achievements. He doesn’t get down on comparing his progress to others. But he does thrive on being his best.

The rocket on Blue Ted’s tum is quite a fiddly appliqué design. However, if you are not confident at appliqué (or you are in a hurry) the downloadable pattern includes a simplified rocket design, as well as a single big star option for beginners. Or you can do what a number of participants have done with the Red Bear and use a fabric with a suitable print for the tummy panel. Also, remember, you can trim off his hair to make the bear easier to appliqué as well, if you need.

Download the Blue Bear pdf pattern

Sorry, this free pattern download has expired…. it will be available for purchase in due course. Perhaps you would like to join the free 2019 Love with a Twist BOM here instead!

Also, a lot of the Blue Bear’s shapes are very similar to the Red Bear. But while they may look the same, quite a few are subtly different because this bear is viewed 100% from front on. So please take care not to mix up the pattern templates between the red and blue bears, as they won’t necessarily fit together nicely.

What you will need to make the Blue Bear block

• Fabric for the background of the block. Each bear block will require a base fabric square of at least 13.5″ by 17″ to allow leeway for trimming. 
• Thin batting for the trapunto layer if you wish to do the trapunto step. I use a polyester batting of 1/8th inch loft. You will need approximately 11″ x 15″.
• Fusible paper-backed fabric adhesive (for example vliesofix). 15″ x 24″ will be ample for the blue bear. 
• Blue fabric scraps for the main sections of the bear. The whole bear requires the equivalent of 6″ x 24″ of blue fabric, similar to the red bear. But he is built from pieces, so you can use multiple smaller scraps if you wish. 
• White/light colour fabric scraps for the muzzle and tummy,  5″ x 8″. Or 10″ x 8″ if shadowing bothers you and you’d like to make the white components double layered (see the Red Bear post for a more detailed discussion of the shadowing problem). 
• Various coloured small fabric scraps for eyes, nose, mouth, paws, inner ears and tummy motif appliqué shapes. 
• Machine embroidery or sewing threads to match your appliqué fabrics.
• General tools: sewing machine, iron etc, teflon ironing sheet or baking (parchment)  paper, small sharp scissors, pencil, chalk/washout fabric marker, quilting pins, black permanent fabric marker.
• Optional but helpful: curved blade embroidery snips.

How to make the Blue Bear of High Hopes

The construction method and fusing order for the Blue Bear is the same as I explained for the Red Bear. The general instructions can be found here in “How to Appliqué the Red Bear”. 

To make the rocket appliqué motif, here is a quick step through the most complex version – if you want to do the simpler rocket, it is built in the same order.

Step 1

Place the flames and stars into position and fuse down.

Step 2

Add the rocket body.

Step 3

Overlay the fin pieces on the rocket.

Step 4

Complete your rocket by adding windows. Remember, there are simpler options for the tummy motif if this seems a little over the top to you – I admit these are some small pieces.

Once you’ve finished the Blue Bear?

Once you are done, you will hopefully have two bears towards your Beary Colourful Quilt. Next off the rank will be the Yellow Bear for March. Yellow Bear is kind of the poster boy for the Beary Colourful BOM, so I guess there are not many secrets as to what he looks like. But I am intending to have a second appliqué motif available for the Yellow Bear’s tummy, so you do have something to look forward to!

The Blue Bear is part of the 2018 Monthly Color Challenge

Don’t forget, the Blue Bear is just one option in the 2018 Monthly Color Challenge. The other bloggers in the February Blue Challenge hop are:

Jen Shaffer at Patterns by Jen
Jen Strauser at the Dizzy Quilter
Sherry Shish at Powered by Quilting
Jen Rosin at A Dream and A Stitch
Nancy Scott at Masterpiece Quilting
Joanne Harris at Quilts by Joanne

I know Jen Shaffer will have another lovely pieced pattern for you to add to her BOM quilt. I am excited to see what else the rest of the bloggers in this month’s hop have also got to share. I’m sure it will be fabulous just like January was. In the last week of February there will be another Color Challenge link party and a prize draw, this time for a $25 gift voucher from The Fat Quarter Shop. I hope you will join in with my bear, or another project from our Color Challenge hop, or even your very own creation. The more the merrier! Help us explore and celebrate Blue.

Enjoy the blue Color Challenge Blog Hop. I know I will!

P.S. Have you liked Clever Chameleon on Facebook? That is where you will get your first glimpses of the appliquéd Yellow Bear. Any guesses to what the yellow bear’s full title is going to be? The Yellow Bear of……… ?!

P.P.S. Sharing the Blue Bear of High Hopes on all my favourite linkys as they open this week! Freemotion by the River, Quilt Fabrication, Fiber Tuesday, Sew Fresh Quilts, My Quilt Infatuation, The Inquiring Quilter, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Crazy Mom Quilts, Busy Hands Quilts.

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