Rattlesnake, Willie Yaeger, Abut 1920, Paris, Texas
Collection of Marcia Kaylakie
Marcia Kaylakie has an impressive gallery of Rattlesnake quilts in the recent book
Southern Quilts by Mary Kerr.
I saw this particularly strange top on eBay last year. It's essentially the same block.
The red rectangles for sashing are an odd addition.
Kind of looks like agility training for snakes.
The block is just a variation of a fan.
In BlockBase: #3314, which the Nancy Cabot column published
as Chinese Fan in 1932.
You could do a better job of sewing if you pieced it over this paper foundation.
Print this JPG out on an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet and you should
have a paper foundation for piecing the spokes.
Cindy Rennels at Cindy's Antique Quilts found this version in Oklahoma.
One big block.
Phoebe Irvine Halbert, Texas
in the book Texas Quilts: Texas Treasures
There are indeed some strange reptiles out there.
Here's an odd design from French72 on eBay.
Just a harmless black snake.
If snakes aren't to your taste, think of them as Fans.
See posts about snake patterns at these links:
From dealer John Sauls's inventory