Make 4 Flying Geese Units at a Time
There’s no Waste with This Method!
Flying Geese units, like half-square triangles, are basic building blocks for many quilts. In some quilt blocks, like many star blocks, the Flying Geese may not be obvious, but once you start looking for them you realize they’re everywhere.
This method, demonstrated by Kathy Patterson from McCall’s Quilting, allows you to make four Flying Geese units at a time with no trimming and no waste.
Plus, using her formula you can make finished Flying Geese of any size. Determine the size of the finished unit and add 1 1/4″ to the length and 7/8″ to the height/width.
For each set of four Flying Geese blocks, cut one square at the size you calculated for the length (this is the “goose”, or center triangle). Cut four squares at the size you calculated for the height/width (these are the background triangles).
Kathy demonstrates the entire process in the following video. One thing you may notice is that she sews through a small scrap of fabric before starting on the block pieces.
The scrap will prevent those rare instances when the thread wads up as you start stitching from happening on the block units themselves. It’s a handy technique often used with chain piecing.
Click here to watch the video at YouTube if it doesn’t play on your device.
That is just about the coolest thing I have ever seen! What an awesome method! Thank you!
What a great method. The way I learned creates a lot of small scraps that are hard to do anything with. I’ve shared this with my guild.
Wonderful ! And guess what ? The dark fabric is what I used to make my kitchen window treatments 🙂
Regular pump spray starch used with this method pretty much makes this the Best method since Mary Ellen Hopkins taught me 20 yrs ago! Use a different fabric on the second round and you get a goose with 2 diff. wings. Great application when you need it!