Flying Geese Basics

Traditional method:

1. Cut one 7-1/4-inch square of the geese fabric in half on the diagonal (figure A). The bias edge should be the point of the triangles. You'll need only one of these triangles for one flying geese block.

2. Cut two, 3-7/8-inch squares of the sky fabric and cut in half on the diagonal (figure B). The point of the triangles should be the straight of grain, not the bias.

3. Line up the bottom straight edge of one sky triangle to the bottom straight edge of one corner of the geese triangle (figure C). Stitch together.

4. Press the sky triangle back on itself and press. Repeat steps for other side of geese triangle.

Easy method:

1. Cut two, 3-1/2-inch squares of sky fabric. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the fabric (figure D).

2. Cut one, 3-1/2" x 6-1/2" piece of the geese fabric.

3. Place one of the sky squares on top of one side of the geese fabric. Stitch on the line you previously drew (figure E).

4. Press back the sky fabric and repeat steps for the other side of the geese block.

An even easier method...

1. This method will make four flying geese at one time. Start by cutting four 3-7/8-inch squares of sky fabric and one 7-1/4-inch square from the geese fabric (figure F).

2. Draw a diagonal line on all four sky squares.

3. Stack two sky squares on top of each other. The diagonal lines should go in the same direction.

4. Use a corner cutter to cut off one corner of the squares as shown (figure G).

5. Place these two sky pieces on the geese square as shown (figure H) and sew 1/4 inch away on both sides of the drawn line (figure I).

6. Next, cut on the center line to separate the two pieces (figure J). Press the sky fabric back on itself.

7. You now have something that resembles a heart and you should have two of them. Place the other two sky units on the "heart" as shown and sew 1/4 inch away on both sides of the center line (figure K).

8. Cut on the center line and press back the sky units to reveal the flying geese blocks (figure L). You should now have four flying geese blocks.