Elle, I think you had some stacking issues. Each of the triangles should be absolutely identical and they're not. That's why I think you're not happy with them. Possibly because you only had a metre of the fabric, you couldn't get the 6 repeats exactly the same? I'm so sorry it didn't work out. :-( Could you get more of the fabric and try again? I know it's not easy for a Brit in exile! LOL You really need 6 identical repeats which for a fabric with a 12" repeat, would mean at least 2 metres.

is there a tutorial on the japanese fan or the blocks above. i think
I am ready to have a go after seeing your fantastic quilts.
How will you put the hexagon shapes onto fabric please?

Elle, dont be unhappy with them, but K3n is on the button because they do need to be absolutely identical. I usually get 6 x the pattern repeat plus half a metre (just for when I cut one wrong!) - and I like to have the extra bit so I can show people what I started with. The pattern is not too large though - I like to use a 24" repeat for the best effect.
But using them on totes is a good idea if you dont use them on the back of the quilt. The front of that quilt is stunning, so dont fret about doing these on the back.

I have been looking closely at your OBWs and I think part of your problem is that you have mixed up some of the triangles into the wrong groups. I can see where some that don't match all the way around have other pieces that DO match, placed in other sets. Try looking carefully at each one and finding the triangles that match perfectly from among the others. Some of your units are half one pattern and half another. Before going further, I'd match as many as possible into identical triangles.
I think you will be happier with those results alone. When I cut one of these OBWs, I pin each stack together before I start looking at them, then I only have one stack at a time open and spread out. That way I can keep them seperate until I have sewed them.
Good luck, hugs and smiles... it will be wonderful anyway, so don't fret over things too much.

Love it love it love it.

Kathryn, you are right I didn´t have enough fabric so I went with what I had, to my cost now I realise. However all is not lost, I won´t use them on the back of this quilt but for another project. I won´t waste that lovely fabric anyway.

Dottymo the Japanese fan quilt is a pattern by Judy Neimeyer look on her site called Quiltworx.com it is all paper pieced hence the lovely points. The other one was a try out on One block wonders which didn´t work to my satisfaction.

Elle

Katrine, thanks for your kind words. I do think I stacked them wrong but heh it was a learning curve and we can all get things wrong from time to time.

I will show what I have planned soon for the back, this one is foolproof LOL Elle

Wildyard, you are absolutely correct I did mix them because some looked really horrid. I did keep them all together and pinned them all that way but when I opened them they were not right so I started mixing to get some decent designs. Not to worry I have learned a bunch from this. You have to make mistakes to learn sometimes and boy do I learn the hard way LOL

Elle

Hey Elle, onwards and upwards, that's the spirit! Really I think the fans are so beautiful that all they need is a single piece back but I'm sure whatever you've got up your sleeve will be wonderful. And had you thought that when you stitch in the ditch round the fans, like you said, this pattern will show on the back? I'm sure you had thought of that! Just was wondering if it might interfere with a block design on the back as well. Ignore me if I'm being stoopid!!!