I have had a few requests to do a tutorial on these Flying Geese blocks. I know it has been around since the '90s and have no idea who to credit with the discovery of how these work. So if you know tell me and I will be sure to post it.
Start with a square 4 1/2". I did fussy cut this but you don't have to. This is the "goose" part, the triangle you see in the middle. The little side things are the sky, in my mind at least.....
A word of caution..... if you are starching you fabric, do it before you cut it out. This one went totally out of square when I did it afterwards.
Next cut out 4 squares that are 2 1/2". These I do definitely starch, it makes the piecing much more precise, well at least for me.
Draw a diagonal line down the back of the four squares with a pencil.
Take your 4 1/2" square and lay 2 of the 2 1/2" squares as in the picture, right sides together, making sure they overlap in the center. The lines should match up. Be sure the outside corners are also matched up.
It should look like this. Gently pin each side.
Sew 1/4" on each side of the line. Go right through the section where they overlap. Turn it and do the other side.
It should look like this, make sure those centers stay aligned.
Now cut along the pencil line, either with a rotary cutter or scissors.
Flip up the pink triangles and gently press. I feel it is better to actually turn them over with your fingers and press with the iron, rather than use the edge of the iron. That way they don't get distorted. Ask me how I know that.....
Take that unit and add one of the extra pink 2 1/2" squares as shown in the picture. Line up your edges and make sure the line is in the center of that "valley".
Again you will sew 1/4" on each side.
Cut it apart......you are almost there....
Now gently press open the pink fabric. I also turn this over by hand and don't use the edge of the iron. Trim off the dog ears and you have pretty perfectly sized Flying Geese. This process makes 4 Flying Geese.
The only "formula" that seems to work as far as sizes goes is this.......
(1) 2 1/2" square for goose and (4) 1 1/2" squares for sky made the small ones on the far right they finish at 1 1/8" x 1 3/4"
(1) 4 1/2" square for goose and (4) 2 1/2" squares for sky make the middle ones, they finish at 2 1/8" x 3 3/4"
(1) 6 1/2" square for goose and (4) 3 1/2" squares for sky make the large ones, they finish at 3 1/8" x 5 3/4"
The key being the sky size is the Goose size divided by 2. I am no math whiz but I did figure that out. If anyone knows of a chart I would love to hear about it.
My friend
Barb who blogs at Fun With Barb is having a nine patch swap. For purely selfish reasons on my part, she needs some more people for the modern swap. She also has a repro swap but I think that one is closed. Her technique is really great on how to make many of them very quickly. You have until October to make them, so come on join the fun. Tell her I sent you.....
Those of you who blog on a regular basis know how much time and energy is put into it every week. I enjoy it very much and love all the feedback and friends that I have made during the almost 4 years I have been blogging. I am going to take a little break and get some other things on my list done. Every day I think about what I will be blogging about this week and while it is fun it can also get me a little crazy at times. I know what I like in a blog so I don't want to fill it with mundane stuff that wastes my time and does not interest you. I will be back in a week or so, who knows I may even have some awesome sewing to show you.....see it's always there in the back of the mind.
I am completely turning off my computer for the break so I will have a lot of catching up to do when I come back. I am wondering if I can actually do it, keep it off for a whole week.
So starting tomorrow morning I will unplug. I will be anxious to read all your comments!
Kelly
