Grandmother's Fan Block - Lorrie Ryther Hall

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 This month's quilt block focus is the Grandmother's Fan Block. Lorrie, thank you for sharing your expertise with us each month.  

FAN BLOCKS (or GRANDMOTHER’S FAN)


The Dresden Plate quilt pattern became popular during the 1920s and 30s. However, the mother of the Dresden Plate could easily be the Fan Block which began during the late 1800’s and is known as the Grandmother’s Fan Quilt. All colors, modern, different shades of one color, civil war, 1930’s, etc. are used to make these quilts. Traditionally fan quilt blocks were made with templates. Eventually specialty rulers were created to make the fan pieces. Fan Blocks have a quarter of the round plate. 

This fan quilt block doesn't require any special tools, only regular rulers and a rotary cutter. To make this non-traditional Fan, you will need a 12 ½” background square, a 4” square fan base, 10 ½” square of fusible, and nine fabrics 2 ½” x 7 ½” an assortment of colors or one color (Thinking Jelly-Roll).

To start, on the nine fabrics, mark with a dot ¾” in on both sides which will leave 1 inch between the dots. With your ruler and rotary cutter, place the ruler on one dot up to the end corner of that side of fabric. Do the same on the other side. This will make one blade and repeat on all nine pieces of fabric.

Now sew all the blade pieces together to make a fan (to be trimmed later). 

Next, take the 10” fusible web piece and draw a 10” curve from one corner to the next, leaving a ½” on each corner. Use a ruler, plate, or just mark 10” from edge that you connect the dots to draw a line. Then, draw lines ½” from the first drawn line.

Cut on the lines that you drew ½” away from the first line. Now you have three pieces of fusible. Take the middle curve line and lay it on the wrong side of the fan. There will be a space on each end of the fan. Fuse down onto the fan. (If you don’t want a raw edge, cut the ½” away from the main line, leaving a small edge fusible with a ½” on the outside. Fuse onto the block and turn under applique or machine applique) Cut on the main drawn line which will give you a smooth edge. Place on the background corner, center with blades over the background edge, and fuse blades down.


Take a piece fusible and in the corner mark a 3 or 3 ½” circle using the same method you used previously. Cut a little bit away from the outer line and a chunk from below the line. Fuse onto the fan base square. Cut on the line and then fuse on the corner of the fan block. (Do same as above for applique) Then trim the edge of the base so even with the 12 ½” block.  Optional is trimming away the background underneath the fan. Stitch on the edge of the fan. Use the Fan Block in a quilt or pillow or whatever you desire.



Another way to make a Fan is to use 5” blocks and use a Dresden Plate ruler to cut two blades from each 5” square. Then sew five blades together and press flat. Place on a 10” background square, edge to edge and secure with a small amount of glue. Next make a circle using a 5” square. Easiest way would be to fold in half and half again, iron so have creased lines, then use something to make a curved line from corner to corner and trim on line. Open for a circle and then cut on creased lines for four pieces to use as the center of the fan. Put a little glue on the background corner and place the center down on top of the fan. Top stitch using your preferred stitch on top of the fan and on top of the center. Make as many as you want and design as desired. Scroll down to see some examples of Grantmother's fan quilts.












There are sew many different ways of putting the Fans together. Show us yours. Enjoy!

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