I love my side winder! I would be lost without it.

Suzanne

I wind bobbins while I am watching tv...on my nifty little sidewinder. saves a lot of time and don't have to stop sewing to do it...If i am starting a project with a new color and don't think I have enough thread in my bobbin, it can be winding another while I keep working...got it on sale at Joanne's and worth it.

did you see the one seam method:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78Mu0C_QL8Y&NR=1

If you have a young helper in your sewing room the Sidewinder is worth it's weight in gold. LOL. My DGD would run to the packages of empty bobbins to buy just to wind them on the Sidewinder. The summer she stayed with me most of the time, I had lots of filled bobbins. I took them to guild so everyone could have different color appliqué thread. I bought the round bobbin donuts and filled them different color filled bobbins and we sold everyone of them at our fundraiser.

Side winder bobbin works wonderfully - I never use it
I have 4 or 5 different flying geese rulers - never used any of them either.

As for flying geese, if I don't use the Go die then I use the one seam method. I'll take easy and accurate over fussy steps anytime.

I have both. Yes both are very worthwhile. The ruler makes perfect flying geese without the hassle. And the bobbin winder gets used on my Lizzie bobbins and I am glad to have it and have a spindle for it so it can wind the big spools of thread as my bobbins are big too for the Lizzie.

The one step method has the fold out? I would not be happy with that when doing quilting. The foot gets caught in the fold.

the "sides" of the geese are a fold, rather than a stitched seam, correct. However, if you look at the youtube video all the way to the end, Ricky does have the quilt stipple quilted, and i am pretty sure he uses a longarm. Maybe the trick is to give them a good pressing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78Mu0C_QL8Y&NR=1

It's just a nice technique if you don't want to go to all the trouble of squaring up and cutting off lots of dog ears....and sometimes that "dimensional" result can have it's plus side. Totally depends on what you are making and if it is applicable, IMO.

Just a thought. I love his quilt.

I've never had that problem. I usually do a 1/4" from the edge on the geese part.