Part 3

After choosing the fabric you will be using in your fan, find your five repeats, cut and stack on top of each other.

Begin by finding the tip of a leaf, or edge of flower, or any other small point and sticking a pin in it. Lift the first layer up and insert the pin into the same spot on the second layer. Raise that layer up slightly and insert the pin in the third layer. Continue this until you have marked all five layers. Take a second pin and insert it beside the first pin, pinning all five layers together. Remove the first pin.

Find another spot in the fabric and pin it the same way you did with the first pin. Always use a second pin to pin the layers together. Repeat the pinning around all four edges. If you have matched all the outside edges, the center area should match. You can check this by inserting a pin somewhere in the center and check to see if you came out in the same place on the back.

Using the wedge patterns you made form freezer paper; iron them on your pinned fabric.

You can use the wedges over again or cut one for each fan you are making. The picture about shows enough wedges for 14 fans.

You can rotary cut your wedges by placing your ruler along the edge of your pattern and cutting.

After you have cut all your wedges out, you can place them on your design wall to see the pretty patterns you have made.

To begin sewing, place two pieces with right sides together, and sew using a quarter inch seam allowance. I like to sew from the tip to the wider part of the wedge. You do it the way it works best for you. Sew another pair together, and then sew the two pairs together. Finally add the fifth wedge to your fan. You have now completed one fan.

Press your seam allowances all the same way. I like to use starch when pressing all my block because it makes the seams lay flatter. Be sure to press and not iron your block, they can stretch and become out of shape.

I like to have all my pieces laying in piles beside my machine so I can sew in the strip piecing method and do all my pressing after I have completed all the fans.

After completing all your fans, I put them back on the design wall just to see what kind of patterns I came out with. I am always amazed at all the different designs you get form the dame fabric.

Your completed fan should lie edge to edge on a 12.5 square ruler as in the picture above. If they need a little trimming now is the time to trim the to size.

Using an expensive tool like the one shown above, cut a circle out of freezer paper.

Fold the paper circle in half and then in half again.

cut on quarter of the circle out and place it on the bottom part of your fan. If it fits, use this for your template. Be sure you add a quarter inch to the curved part of the template so it can be turned under and either stitched down or appliquéd down.

Use this pattern to cut enough pieces for all your fans. I like to use a glue stick and glue the turned edge down which helps in sewing it onto the fan. Be sure and use a water solvable glue stick.

I am putting my fans on a 12.5 square. I use my 12.5 square ruler and cut my blocks as shown in the picture. I will be placing my fans on the blocks so that my squares will be on point.

You can either machine or had appliqué your blocks onto the squares.

After laying out my fans in the pattern I want to use, I cut triangles to fill in on the sides and corners.

You can now sew your blocks into rows. Then sew the rows together. I start by sewing the corner on first, the row by row. Some quilters like to sew the rows together first then add corners. Either way works fine.

You have now completed your Stack and Whack fan quilt top. It’s ready for you to add your choice of borders.