Grandmother's Fan Advice
 

I am about to tackle my next baby quilt and love the photo below of a traditional Grandmother's Fan quilt.

Anyone done one of these and have advice for me on best way to go?

Paper pieced? Using a template set or ruler set?

Thanks for tips and tricks, including the tools that helped you most.

Oh i'm going to watch this. I have some lovely fans print I want to use in making one soon.

Watching this too! I have some 1930's prints that would look nice with this design.

lots of YouTube videos on grandmothers fan or Dresden plates. You can make them as show in your photo or make the blade wide end pointed before sewing them together.

I understand the technique, just looking for improved methods if they are out there!

I purchased a Dresden ruler. Then I experimented with size of strips to get to one I liked (for me 7"). I sewed a piece of scrap fabric to turn the edges - I would use some interfacing. I also experimented with the size of circle I liked until I found one I liked. I made 2 templated out of cereal box. One circle.to trace and cut - 2nd circle to iron in the edges. I did a loose stitch around the edges and then pulled them in around the edges and ironed. Then I cut those into quarters. I applique the fan onto a 10" square.around the top edge and then sewed the quarter circle.on top of the fan. I didn't bother to do the sides because it was caught when I put the squares together.

I set mine in point. Remains one of my favorite quilts ever

I've been looking around at youtube for the Grandmother's Fan Block and the one I like the most is from the Martelli site. I want to make a queen size, Grandmother's Fan Quilt, now that WesternWilson has put it in my thoughts :) . You can also buy the Grandmother's Fan template in the project template part of their web site, if you are looking for a good template that isn't tiny or you can make your own, from what I am seeing on other youtubes for what size you want.

The reason I like the Martelli Youtube is that it is a totally pieced block, which is how I want to make it. I saw a lot of youtube video with making it as a partial applique, but that isn't what I was looking for.

I use Darlene Zimmerman's easy Dresden tool to cut the wedges for this kind of project. For grandmother's fan, I make a template out of plastic that can be ironed and, after sewing the wedges together, I iron the outer seam allowance over the plastic before appliqueing to a square. Then I applique the inner quarter circle.

I've always wanted to make a Grandmothers fan quilt using my left over jelly roll strips. But the template set I want to use can't be found for purchase anymore. I can find websites that "say" they have it, but no longer do. It's the Fon's and Porter Small Fan Template Set. Wonder how hard it would be to use a Drunkards path template set instead? i probably wouldn't get the curves right!

I made one using a dresden template. Then I appliqued it on to blocks. Easy. Gave it to my daughter, now her daughter has asked for it when she dies. lol