Quilt block · Wedges · Intermediate
Grandmother’s Fan quilt block
Five blades open like a fan from one corner, sewn together and appliquéd to the square, with a quarter circle over their narrow ends. Also called Fan and Old-Fashioned Fan.
What to cut for one block
A 6″ finished block measures 6½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
The square
- 1 square 6½″the fans are appliquéd to these
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 blade
- W1 blade 4″the 18° wedge ruler’s 2⅞″ line on the top edge, turned each cut
Medium · Denim in the picture
2 blades
- W2 blades 4″as for Dark
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
1 blade
- W1 blade 4″as for Dark
Accent · Apricot in the picture
1 blade and the hub
- W1 blade 4″as for Dark
- A1 quarter circle, about 1¾″ radiusappliqué: from the template, with your turn-under
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Grandmother’s Fan’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 9″ finished block measures 9½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
The square
- 1 square 9½″the fans are appliquéd to these
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 blade
- W1 blade 5¾″the 18° wedge ruler’s 3⅝″ line on the top edge, turned each cut
Medium · Denim in the picture
2 blades
- W2 blades 5¾″as for Dark
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
1 blade
- W1 blade 5¾″as for Dark
Accent · Apricot in the picture
1 blade and the hub
- W1 blade 5¾″as for Dark
- A1 quarter circle, about 2¾″ radiusappliqué: from the template, with your turn-under
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Grandmother’s Fan’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 12″ finished block measures 12½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
The square
- 1 square 12½″the fans are appliquéd to these
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 blade
- W1 blade 7½″the 18° wedge ruler’s 4⅜″ line on the top edge, turned each cut
Medium · Denim in the picture
2 blades
- W2 blades 7½″as for Dark
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
1 blade
- W1 blade 7½″as for Dark
Accent · Apricot in the picture
1 blade and the hub
- W1 blade 7½″as for Dark
- A1 quarter circle, about 3⅝″ radiusappliqué: from the template, with your turn-under
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Grandmother’s Fan’s templates at true size with Quilter.
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
How it’s sewn
For the 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew the blades together
Sew them side by side in the order the block shows, from the wide end to the narrow. Press the seams one way.
- Appliqué the fan to the square
Turn under the fan’s top edge, lay it in the square’s corner with its sides on the square’s edges, and stitch the top edge down by hand or with a small machine blind hem.
- Appliqué the hub over the blades’ narrow ends
Trace its template on the wrong side, cut it with your turn-under round it, turn the edge under on the line, and stitch it down over the raw ends.
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew the blades together
Sew them side by side in the order the block shows, from the wide end to the narrow. Press the seams one way.
- Appliqué the fan to the square
Turn under the fan’s top edge, lay it in the square’s corner with its sides on the square’s edges, and stitch the top edge down by hand or with a small machine blind hem.
- Appliqué the hub over the blades’ narrow ends
Trace its template on the wrong side, cut it with your turn-under round it, turn the edge under on the line, and stitch it down over the raw ends.
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew the blades together
Sew them side by side in the order the block shows, from the wide end to the narrow. Press the seams one way.
- Appliqué the fan to the square
Turn under the fan’s top edge, lay it in the square’s corner with its sides on the square’s edges, and stitch the top edge down by hand or with a small machine blind hem.
- Appliqué the hub over the blades’ narrow ends
Trace its template on the wrong side, cut it with your turn-under round it, turn the edge under on the line, and stitch it down over the raw ends.
Blocks like it
More like this: Plate, fan and compass quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
Is Grandmother’s Fan the same block as Fan?
Usually, yes. Block names vary by region and by book, and the same block is often sold under several. Our library lists Fan and Old-Fashioned Fan as other names for this one, so a search for any of them finds it.
What size should I make it?
Plates, fans and compasses are big blocks. Its blades cut with a wedge ruler on the ⅛″ marks at 12″, 15″, 18″ and 24″. The circle in the middle is appliquéd, from a template at any size.
Can I paper piece it?
Its blades sew side by side into a ring, and the circle in the middle is appliquéd over their ends, so it’s pieced and appliquéd rather than sewn on a paper.
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s an intermediate block: 7 pieces in 2 different shapes and curved seams. Take it slowly and check each piece against the list. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.