I would like to hear from you quilters that have made "Grandmother's Fan" as to the level of difficulty. I'm asking because that was the pattern that Mom used whenever a grandchild married. She would find out what the couple's favorite color was and make a queen size quilt for them. Since she passed away two years ago there has been one grandson to marry and another will marry in May. I'm thinking about continuing the tradition only with a scrappy GF from my stash. So how would you rate this pattern, please?

I thought it was easy. You just keep making fans (or Dresden plates if you go in a full circle) until you have enough, then machine applique them onto squares.

I haven't tried it, but it sounds nice.

That is great of you to continue the tradtion. I've never made one so can't answer as to the difficulty. Good luck.

I think they are fairly easy, although I hand applique onto blocks. Either way, to make it easier to applique, I like to make points on the ends by sewing straight across the ends of the wedges. I'll post a picture of one I made.

rusty quilter - I remember Mom pieced her fans, had not thought of doing machine applique. Thanks for your response.

Pamela - Your quilt is beautiful! Another applique, huh? Mom's points were rounded like a half circle and the little triangle was white on white or muslin (I think). Thanks for your response!

I like this one with the lace on it.
http://www.quilterscache.com/G/Grand...sFanBlock.html

Glenda, I've made them before with the rounded edges, but making points makes the edges already to hand applique whereas the rounded pieces all need to be turned under before appliqueing. Anything to make less work for myself!

My first full-size quilt was like this. I made it in the late 80's and hand pieced and quilted the whole thing. Everything looks perfect. Wish I could do that well now! It was an easy pattern that turned out very well.

Oh! I do like the lace trim. Thanks for the link SadieMae.

That's the way I made mine as a gift for my daughter, and I thought I was being so creative! It turned out beautifully if I do say so myself. I made it in shades of rose, moss green and cream, and used colored lace to match one of the rose fabrics. The background was a cream-on-cream print. I machine-pieced the fan, but hand-appliqued it and then hand-quilted the fan inside and out. The background was quilted in a fancy curlie-cue pattern. My daughter just loved it. (Boy, was I glad - it was a lot of work, but fun.)

OK, I'm done bragging now - somebody else's turn.

You've all got a right to brag!

I believe GF is a relatively easy pattern to put together, and I do know that there are patterns for the background/fan joining that are pieced, not appliqued (I hope that makes sense...). You may need to check an older publication for one of those if you don't already have the pattern.

Otherwise, why don't you put one block together and see how it comes out? That way you don't get too involved in a project you may not care for and that may not work for you in the long run.

Best of luck and happy sewing!

So...do you think it would be easier done as applique or as a pieced pattern?

Now that I look at the pattern more...I guess she did applique the completed fan onto a square block - DUH. :oops: I'm hoping she left a pattern in one of the many pizza boxes that ended up at my sister's house in KY. When we go in I have to go thru all those boxes to see what's there. Everytime she would start gathering for a new quilt she would start a new pizza box. I would say my sister has 20-25 pizza boxes stored. :shock:

I think if you make them with the pointed edges and use the ruler it will be rather easy. Definitely applique them on.

I only made one block on my first quilt that was a sampler. It wasn't hard but it wasn't an applique either. Not pointed.

Again, I'd say whatever you are more comfortable with will work for you. Give it a shot ... you won't know until you try it.

i pieced mine it was not hard used yellow for the half circle prints for the fan and muslin for the large around the top of the fan

I am making one as we speak. I had some nickel packs that I had ordered from Clotilde and just started cutting out blades. I have completed thirteen(sp)dredens in just two evenings while watching TV with my DH. easiest block I have ever made. The only thing that has slowed me down is that i ran out of the nickel squares and I am waiting for the order that I placed yesterday.

I have made one it is not really that hard and I am not an expericend quilt maker either.

Check out the Meet Me IN Paris Quilt!!!! Just google it and take a look!!! Someday I really want to do this!!! :roll:

maybe you will be lucky and one of those pizza boxes will hold the beginnings of the GF. wishful thinking maybe

My avatar is a grandmother's fan. It wasn't that difficult. It isn't appliqued.

well lucky you to have some pizza boxes to go thru! and it will be a wonderful thing if you are able to continue the tradition. Good luck and enjoy the learning curve!

if that isn't appliqued how is it done? it's beautiful

I have made a fan quilt. My instructions were to cut the fan segments with a smooth outer edge, piece them together. Sew a piece of lace on the rounded edge, 1/4 inch seam. Then pin to the background piece,, which has been cut to fit the rest of the square plus 1/4 inch on the insid edge. I pin at each edge and in the middle. Then sew the fan to the background. This makes the seam very even and no hand sewinig. You can use lace or rickrack on the inner circle also.

Fairly easy to make---not rank beginner friendly, but not too hard.

I have made several( rounded tops and pointed tops) and they are easy to put together.

lauriequilts - Your quilt is beautiful! When I first glanced at it I was thinking, "No it isn't, it's a dresden plate." Upon closer look of course it's GF = love the way you 'modernized' it.

Pretty easy actually. Me, I just make Dresden plates with points and then hack them in half. Viola! Grandmother's fans.

Try Eleanor Burns she makes every pattern easy.

I haven't made one yet but looks like it should be fairly easy.

I have a "grandmother's fan" pattern that you do not have to applique. It is pieced.

I have a "grandmother's fan" pattern that you do not have to applique. It is pieced. I have also appliqued a grandmother's fan crib quilt. Both were very easy.

I ordered the "Easy Dresden" ruler from Missouri Quilt company and watched the tutorial on how to use it. The ruler comes with a template to make the round Grandmother's Fan. I think it is a little more challenging than the Dresden plate, but neither is difficult.

I have become addicted to Dresden plate because it is so simple and is such a great way to use scraps. Why don't you look at the Missouri Quilt company tutorial on YouTube and see what you think? What you are proposing to do is a lovely gesture. froggyintexas

It's a fairly easy you cut the blades and then if you want a circular edge, leave as is. For points, you fold each blade right sides together at the outside edge and stitch across. trim the corner excess off and turn out. Use a point turner to get the good point. I the use a piece of heat resistant template plastic which has an exact 90 degree angle which I put inside the point and has a 45 degree line marked. I Line that up with the seam line I just sewed. and press.

When stitching the blades together I always work from the outside edge inwards. You are going to cover the base with a circle anyway so I would rather any slips or slides end up down there than on the edge.

Spray starching you fabric before you cut makes the sewing easier. remember you have both edges on some bias so be careful of stretching.

Piece 90 degrees of blades together and then Square it up with your big quilting square before sewing it to the next one. You can just appliqué to a square and use that as the template if doing a single quarter circle. If doing a full plate square them up before sewing them to the next set of blades. That way they should sit flat when you come full circle.

If points you can appliqué the folded edges down by hand or machine. Just pin it carefully to the background square and it is well worth running some large hand basting stitching around the edge to hold it so you can take the pins out.

I did do a small one hand piecing over papers but I prefer to machine piece. I have never got one to be exactly 90 degrees with out some trimming but no one would ever know!

Oh dang it I just told you didn't i :)

I found an easy trick for basting them in place on the back ground. I use thin strips of heat and bond (approx. 1/8th inch) around the outside of my fan blades, then iron it to the backing. Holds long enough for me to hand sew them down, and no skootching.

Why don't you make a sample block or three, trying different techniques, and decide for yourself whether it's something you want to do?

kaye woods tv has a video with very easy instructions.