are you a fan of fans?

Another fan quilt arrived recently, and this one may look familiar. It appears on page 134 of "Unconventional & Unexpected: American Quilts Below the Radar" by Roderick Kiracofe.

The quilt is attributed to Lori Apo. It is 72" x 90" and is thought to have been made in Hawaii or California (I'm betting on Hawaii) in the 1970 to 1980 period (I'm betting 1970 - it just has that look). It has lots of great Hawaiian fabrics, including the back fabric, with its surfers, hula girls and palm trees.

The quilt was formerly part of the collection of Eli Leon before appearing in Kiracofe's book, and there's more than one way to look at it. I think I like it as a vertical, but it was horizontal in the book. It could be displayed either way and look great. Clearly, I have a thing for fans. Here are a few others in my collection.

Snake Trail Fans, c. 1890, Pennsylvania

Radiating Fans - "The Thrifty Wife" c. 1900, Wisconsin 

Layered Fans, c. 1920, New York

Radiating Fans, c. 1920, Texas

Fans, c. 1960, Texas

I like fans because they are somewhere between New York Beauty and Double Wedding Ring, two favorite designs. Fan blocks can be used in a lot of different ways-- an intriguingly versatile element in patchwork quilts. Are you a fan of fans too?