Flying Geese Piecing Help

[Wendy P.]

I started a new project this weekend and already see that I'm headed to disaster. I'm making flying geese by sewing diagonally across squares on each corner (cutting off the tips and leaving 1/4 inch seam) to make the "double half square triangles." I've been marking the squares with a line so that my seams are straight across. Nonetheless, after cutting and pressing - I have quite irregular rectangles to work with. This makes it very difficult to piece each goose into the column - hard to get the "head" of the triangle precisely on the "bottom" of the goose ahead of it! In addition, I think I'll see some variation in the width at the base when I attach sashing - imperfect points at the wing tops!

So, should I cut my rectangles to a uniform size?
Keep working on my piecing technique until I get perfect - or at least consistent - rectangles?

Any suggestions?

Thanks - Wendy :?

[Wendy P.]

Wendy Try this link for flying geese

http://www.quilterscache.com/H/Howtomakegeese.html

I hope this helps

Margarita in Auburn CA

[Wendy P.]

Wendy, I use the "Flying Geese X 4 No Math Ruler" from Lazy Girl Designs. http://www.lazygirldesigns.com I have not had any problems with this. Eleanor Burns also has a flying geese ruler.

Maggie in E. Central Illinois

[Wendy P.]

A tip for helping in making flying geese is to only trim the corner square material. Leave the original rectangle intact so that it is like a foundation. That way, if the triangle that's pressed back towards the corner doesn't turn out perfect, you still have the rectangle to sew to the neighboring block and your accuracy will be protected.

That might help some!

[Wendy P.]

My INSTRUCTOR says... pin, pin, pin, and pin some more.

You are sewing two bias edges together that want to move and shift in their own way when they are not stretching.

I have been using the ELEANOR BURNS METHOD for flying geeses... they are in many of her DVDs and books. Get a copy from the library or it is worth buying the DVD or book. I like the idea of getting four FLYING GEESE by sewing only 4 lines of stitching... The method is very forgiving and before you know it you have made dozens of flying geese... NOT a lot of sewing time but you do have to be careful cutting out... I love her set of templets/ rulers.

[Paula D.]

Yes! Eleanor Burns. No need for pins. Gosh, if Eleanor has taught us anything, it's gotta be the flying geese! She's sometimes too silly for my taste, but you have to look past that, and she has some really great ideas.

[Paula D.]

dear wendy,
when i am sewing geese i use a pencil to mark the diagonal sewing line on the left and right square then i am careful to sew one or two thread-widths to the right or left of that pencil line to compensate for the fold that will take place once you press it befor cutting the back corners..this way i never have the top corners short or crooked! and this is using e burns' way

[Diana U.]

I have tried the Lazy Designs, 2 squares on a rectangel, and Eleanor Burns method. I vote for Eleanor's method. Used it to make my step daughter's wedding quilt with over 600 geese. You do have to sew a straight line and make your final cuts accurate. First be sure that you press the seams away from the goose. Then when I cut the final geese, I used a stack of post-it notes to fill in the space at the top of the goose to make her ruler more stable on the piece. Ignore the idea of press to the dark side. This allows you to see the point when you are pinning and sewing the geese together. If you have to take a sway your sewing line a few threads one way or the other you can see the tip.

Half of my geese where the smaller size on the end of her ruler. I had my husband (very carefully) cut the end off a second ruler (Joann coupon so I didn't feel guilty). Added my post-it notes and went to town.

Good luck.

Diana

[Diana U.]

I use the Eleanor Burns method, too, and it works very well...you might want to buy one of her rulers, if you're planning to make a lot of flying geese (which also play a part in many pieced blocks).

When you're sewing, rather than stitching ON your drawn line, stitch a little bit to the outside of the line. The seam and fold take up some space when you press the triangle out, and this makes allowance for it.

If you don't have a flying geese ruler (such as E. Burns type), make a template out of plastic the final size of your goose unit. Include (and draw) the four outer seam allowances, and draw in the center triangle "goose". Once you've stitched and pressed your unit, line the template lines up with the "goose" of your unit, and trim off any bits that stick out beyond the template. This will give you more uniform results.

Go easy when pressing the corner triangles -- it's easy to stretch things out of shape. If you STARCH YOUR FABRIC BEFORE CUTTING, you will find your pieces and units much more cooperative! (this is my #1 tip for all quilt piecing dilemmas)

[Diana U.]

I found this wonderful website by way of this video on flying geese see if this helps
learn/

[Diana U.]

Good morning,
I just wanted to say "thanks" to Maggie for posting her tip on using the Flying Geese x 4 ruler. I just happened to have that ruler, and it had seem so confusing I hadn't used it. Well, after hearing about the challenges of piecing the Sawtooth Star, I thought I would check the forum for tips.
After a bit of playing around, ( I used the D option instead of B, oops), I made the block and

1. it was easy,
2. it was fun
3. it came out Perfect! Whoo hoo!!

I will probably be using this ruler in all my flying geese piecing, I love getting 4 geese from cutting 2 squares!

Again, thanks for sharing!

Kathy in California

[Diana U.]

Kathy, I'm glad you figured out the flying geese ruler! It is fantastic when you need lots of them!

Maggie in E. Central Illinois

[Marion D.]

I have found a couple of different ways to make flying geese, and they are summarized at this website:

http://quiltingpassion.com/tutorials/geese/

I always have a problem with the geese, usually they are a scooch too small, and that scooch is sometimes too much. In the end, I add 1/8 inch to the measurements of the quadruple square method and trim the excess. I have a pineapple ruler that has a 45 degree angle that ends 1/4 inch from the edge, and that is a life saver.

[Judy M.]

I always sew a couple of threads to the right of the drawn line (the line drawn diagonally on the square), then I "set" the sewing with the iron before turning back and matching it to the rectangle corner. I press when the two corners match exactly, even if the stitching isn't exactly in the fold. Then I trim the middle corner down to a 1/4". I always have success with this method, thanks to a Sally Collins workshop!!! Judy in Torrance

[Judy M.]

I am a new quilter and somewhat mathematically challenged. I saw Ricky's video on the flying geese which makes a 5" wide flying geese (rectangle) from what I could determine. If one wanted to make a flying geese in a half square triangle shape, is there a quick and easy method for this? I am working on a quilt that uses mostly half quare triangle blocks sewn together to form a square, but some of the blocks are "different" and one of the triangles is a "flying geese" triangle. Would love an easy way to make these blocks like Ricky demonstrated for the rectangle block!


Hope this does not seem like a dumb question! Any advice is glady welcomed!

Roberta Johnson