"Grandmother's Fan" is a very old quilt block pattern that can be set together in several different ways, resulting in some designs with very appealing names, like "Snake in the Hollow," "Fluttering Fans" and "Twirling Fans." It's one of very few patterns I like that aren't created from right triangles.
"Miss Miranda's Twirling Fans" was one of the earliest of my quilt block pattern works. Searching for papers that looked like printed fabrics, I turned to a stack of "failed" paintings. Then, carefully tracing around a template for the fan pieces and the negative spaces, I cut and sorted about 200 pieces by color and value.
Next, I began to arrange the pieces, either alternating color and value or placing similar colors together. The "twirling fans" began to emerge. Fitting the pieces together was very difficult. Everything had to be just right, which wasn't easy. When the pieces are hand-cut with scissors, edges tend to not be perfectly straight. So I did a lot of trimming with an X-acto knife! When the painting was finished, it reminded me of pieced comforter tops my mom made, using scraps from dresses and shirts she had sewed for us. Looking at the pieced work, I was reminded of the older paintings that were cut up to make the fan pieces.
The work belongs to my granddaughter Miranda, now. Surprise!
Inspiration: Once again, familiar images and items from my childhood, combined with a desire to create something special for my special granddaughter.
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