Help with flying geese block
 

Hi, I am fairly new at quilting...I have sewn three quilts, all relatively easy on a scale of beginner to difficult.... I went out yesterday and purchased the fabric to star a quilt called Stars Ablaze. I found the pattern in a BHG quilt book....when I chose the pattern I thought it was just squares and triangles, which I have done in the past...however when I got home and really read through the directions, I am panicking.....one of the blocks is a Flying Geese block.....is there some reason why I can't just use two triangles to make the square and just piece then together accordingly....I will try to do one but I was just wondering and to be honest just afraid to try something new with such an expensive bunch of fabric??

thanks

Yes you can do have square triangles. I too hated flying geese until I bought Deb Tucker's flying geese ruler. It makes helps make the perfect flying geese.

Try a few on scrap fabrics first before you cut into the good stuff. I am in the exact same boat, and even bought a special ruler, but it won't work for the project that I have in mind, so I'll practice a few first so I can get the hang of it - or not:)

What about buying some cheap fabric or using some leftovers and giving them a try. One thing I learned from here is to starch them well before you start so you don't stretch. I had trouble at first but tried this method, it was the easiest for me but now I can do the regular way, I think I followed a Fon's and Porter tute or it might have been Jennie from Missouri Quilt. You can do it!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...s-t180442.html

google easy flying geese block & there are many variations on the technique. Here's a link to another way.http://www.connectingthreads.com/tut...hods__D16.html But if you want to you can just take one rectangle & two squares. Draw your diagonal lines on the squares stitch on the line, trim & voila you have the unit.

Some encouragement for you, Smg...if you have made three quilts already, the flying geese will be a breeze!! :-)

I agree with thimblebugs's statement above. Just take your time and practice a few using the method she described. For a beginner, I think this is the most straight forward method. You may need to square them up a bit when you are done and just be sure that you keep your 1/4" seam allowance above the point of the big triangle.

You can do this and you will be so proud of yourself!

Flying geese are really not that hard. As others have said just practice and follow the directions. Consider this a learning experience. All that said- the reason that you do not want to sew triangles together is that you will be sewing on the bias making it very easy to stretch the fabric and make it distorted. Good luck!!!!!!!!

When making my flying geese i always sew just a needles width off toward the part you cut away and they fit better than when I sew directly on the line.

Ok, you have all talked me into doing the pattern the proper way with the flying geese blocks....I want to grow and learn,,,this is my first step beyond the basic beginner quilts I have done in the past....here I go,,,,off to tidy up the sewing room and start practicing....thanks everyone!!! I just LOVE this site...

Yes, you can do two HSTs. Eleanor Burns did that in the quilt that hangs beside me. But the 2 squares and a rectangle isn't hard. I've used the method that makes 4 at a time, too, but those needed the most trimming and that's time consuming.