I found a free table runner pattern at www.quiltbug.com named Flying Stars Table Runner. I'm confused by the directions for making flying geese. I've cut (40) 3 1/2' x 3 1/2" squares and (20) 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangles. It says to press the (40) 3 1/2" squares on the diagonal, wrong sides together, making them into triangles. Pin them to both sides of the rectangles, overlapping them slightly in the center. Stay stitch these 1/8" from the edge. It doesn't say what to do with them after that. Do I sew the 1/8" stitching on the top or side edge and do I cut the triangles or do they stay folded? The next page just goes to putting the star together. I'm more a visual learner than reading. I found a couple tutorials, but they don't seem to be the same thing. They told me to press the rectangle in half & the runner directions don't say to do that. Help!

you are making flying geese with folded squares. no triangles to deal with. those are dimensional.
you lay them on the upper corners with the center tips over lapping, then stitching them down 1/8 from top edge. i would think you could also stitch them down on the sides with 1/8 seam too. then you have flying geese that wont' slip or come apart.
yes, the sqs will stay folded and form the flying geese. the fold never gets stitched unless you want to do so when quilting the whole quilt.
should make great quilt blocks. so yes, stitch them down the sides too and all will be well.

Yes she is correct. You will have 3D flying geese. It is a place if they are on a child's quilt for them to tuck little treasures or just to enjoy the dimension

Hi Debbie,
1] I don't fold my material
2] I use Best Press first on all the material before cutting.
3] I mark one diagonal on each of the squares ... making sure the fabric directionality isn't compromised, just in case.
4] I put one of the squares at one of the ends of the rectangle and then sew just to the outside of that diagonal line, by maybe 1 or 2 threads, of that diagonal.
5] I then fold back the square to make one side of the FG to check for fit. If it fits, I iron it in place then I trim the bottom 2 layers, though many don't do this trim step.
6] Then I put the other square at the other end, in a mirror image of the first square. The first few times you do this you might prefer to pin it on what will be the sew line, then crease the material back to make sure you have the diagonal line going the correct way.
If all is well, sew like the other square, just inside the diagonal line, fold it back to check for fit, checking that where the V is is 1/4" from the edge. Then iron, and trim, if you want it trimmed.

Unfortunately my camera is packed to go so no pictures at this time.

Maybe someone else can post the pictures or PM me and I'll do it as soon as I can.

ali

Thank you so much for answering. Another question...if it is dimensional then how do you quilt it? Wouldn't the quilting sew it down or closed?

Alikat, thank you. I've printed out your instructions, but when you get your camera working I'd love to see pictures. Debbie

I hope this can help:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-73445-1.htm