Drafting for the Creative Quilter

CIRCULARDESIGNS 21

Grandmother’s Fan Block

The basic Fan block is often referred to as the Grandmother’s Fan. It is drafted within
a quarter of a circle (so, four fans create a complete circle). Depending on the complexity
of the fan, this block has the potential to create a variety of designs, such as Dresden
Plate, Mariner’s Compass, Sunflower, Sunburst, and other symmetrical circular designs.
Learning to draft this block enables you to make all the choices regarding size, number of
segments, and segment design.

A traditional Grandmother’s Fan block consists of a background area, a handle, and
segments. Arcs (partial circles) can be drawn any size and from any corner within the square. When designing
the blocks, be sure to keep a pleasing visual proportion between the areas and consider your sewing skill. The seg-
ments have a smooth edge, and the number of segments within this area is up to you. However, because you will be
working within a corner of a square that is 90°, it is usually easiest to choose a number of segments that will divide
evenly into 90°. Decide how many segments you want, then divide that number into 90° to find the angle of the
segments.

this is 15°, so you would mark at 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75.

Hold the protractor in place. For six segments, mark

dots close to the edge of the protractor at exactly 15°, 30°,

45°, 60°, and 75°.

0

10

20

30

40

5060

(^7080807060)
50
40
(^30)
20
10
0
90
Determine and mark degrees for 6 segments.
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The dots that you mark on your paper using the
protractor can be anywhere in relationship to the
square. What is important is the corner where the
crosshair marking on the protractor is positioned.
You will always align the ruler’s edge with the corner
where the crosshair marking was positioned and
each degree dot.

5. Remove the protractor. Align the edge of a ruler so
   it lies along the corner where the crosshair marking
   was positioned and along the 15° dot. Be sure your
   ruler edge is just next to, not on, the corner and dot

TO DRAFT A 6 ̋ (FINISHED) BLOCK:

1. Draw a 6 ̋ square on graph paper.


2. For the handle arc, make a mark 15/8 ̋ from the
   corner. For the outer edge of the fan arc, make a mark
   51/2 ̋ from the same corner. Place the pivot point of the
   compass at that same corner and expand the compass
   pencil to reach the 15/8 ̋ mark. Draw an arc from one side
   to the opposite side. Repeat for the 51/2 ̋ mark.

1⁄ ̋

1⁄ ̋

Handle arc

Pivot point

5½ ̋

5½ ̋

Segment arc

6 ̋

Draw a square, handle arc, and segment arc.

3. Position the protractor over the square, so that the
   crosshair is over the same corner. The protractor’s 90°
   mark is on the vertical line extending from that corner,
   and the 0° mark is on the horizontal line extending from
   the same corner.


4. Decide how many segments you want for the fan. For
   now, let’s choose six: 90° ÷ 6 segments = 15°. Determine
   all the degree markings and write them down before
   starting to mark the block. You are simply adding mul-
   tiples of the degree angle for each segment—in our case,

Grandmother’s Fan block