Why do my flying geese look so bad?
 

I've been quilting for 20 years and I still haven't mastered the flying geese. I just had to make some for a quilt I'm making and I ran out of fabric because I kept having to re-do them. I sew on the line I make on the back of the square and put the square in the corner of the rectangle and then put the other square on the other side and cut the back off (behind the squares) and it's the wrong size every time. I tried making it bigger and planned on cutting it down, but I would have lost my points. I lose my points anyway and they are always too small every which way. Is there a trick to making them? Is there another way? They are suppose to be 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 rectangles and I add 2 1/2" squares. Any help would be appreciated.

My flying geese are not so great either,so I have been using half square triangles,not as pretty but it works.

I can't tell you since mine are usually pretty bad. The next quilt I do will have flying geese so I have been preparing by looking at all the methods there are out there - some requiring rulers and some not. Google flying geese Ricky Timms, Eleanor Burns, Deb Tucker. They have videos. There are others also. So far I am leaning toward Ricky's method. Maybe one of these will inspire you.

I use the Flying geese 4X4 ruler. I love it. I also use the math method same principle as the ruler.
http://www.lazygirldesigns.com/books.php
Luann

Thank you. I'll go check them out right now.

Thanks, I'll check it out. I'm doing 5 BOM and they all require flying geese, so any help is grateful.

check out the eleanor burns video using her flying geese ruler. i haven't tried the ruler yet but am looking forward to it.
http://www.quiltinaday.com/televisio...geeseruler.asp

I had luck with the Eleanor Burns method. I didn't use her rulers because my sizes were odd. But the method itself really helped my quality. Also, I just bought the Angler 2 tool and found that it helped my sewing from corner to corner - and no need to draw that line on the back of the square.

Good luck.

I just watched a Youtube video called "One seam flying geese quilt block" and it looks fantastic. I am going to go try it right now.

Practically every thread I follow on here has me off on an interesting and informative internet flight. Good job I'm done for the day.
Annie

I know it's after the fact...sorry...but I've been using a program I bought at the LQS called "Triangulations", by Brenda Henning. It's like paper piecing them. There are different sizes of geese and HST's. It has helped me a lot. I'm working on a BOM project that has 92 geese in it, and there's very little fabric waste. You use triangles cut to the right size and because it's paper piecing, you don't have to worry about the bias edges. You might look into it if you plan on another project with flying geese.

Just this past weekend I gave in and tried the Deb Tucker Wing Clipper ruler and made some of the best flying geese units I have ever made - seriously - plan to go buy my own ruler this week. Makes four at a time a little oversized then you trim them down to the right size. Worked really well!

Yeah, that is the Ricky Timms one! Let us know how that works out. That is the one I think will work for me.

When I do the folded corner method I sew on the right side of the line instead of right on the line. Then when I trim I only trim out the center triangle. That way the rectangle I cut is still the perfect size and if the folded corners are just a little off it doesn't matter.

I bought her Wing Clipper ruler but haven't tried it yet. I bought it because I made her Rapid Fire Hunter's Star quilt and it came out wonderfully using her ruler for it. Look at her video's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7WQpzknLGg&lr=1

I use Eleanor Burns rulers and they come out perfect every time.

Glad you saw that "one seam flying geese". I watched it and although I haven't done it yet, sure looks simple. I'm always amazed at the short cuts I find either on You Tube or from this board.

Try paper piecing them. Takes the frustration out it. Here is a link of different sizes you can try.

http://www.quilterscache.com/B/Blank...latesPage.html

I've tried pretty much every method, but was never happy with my geese until I tried Deb's Wing Clipper ruler. Using her method and ruler, mine were pretty darned close to perfect!

I always use Ricky Timms method.....Love it...perfect FG every time!!!

Great video will have to try this...Thanks

I 2nd this one, this works great

I have both the Eleanor Burns and the Lazy Girl flying geese rulers. They both work very well and make it easy
but I prefer the Lazy Girl one.

Me too and it usually costs me money.lol

My first post on this board was about how I do flying geese. I LOVE them. Must be the way I do it. I didn't have a camera at that time so someone else came up with them in http://www.patchpieces.com/files/flyinggeese.pdf
My original post is entitles Flying Geese Discussion. Take a look. No fancy rulers. Very little math. And I get perfect results every time - and that's a Lot of Times!

Wow, thanks for that link! I can only make a nice log cabin by paper piecing and I usually get out my graph paper and construct a new template every time. I'm getting ready to do a log cabin quilt and this will come in extremely handy! I might even try the flying geese too!

I lay the square on the background fabric and mark the diagonal on that square (not the background). Then I sew just a thread or two off the line (toward the edge - not the center). When I sew right on the line I don't seem to have enough to press back. I also do not trim through both layers when the square is attached. I only trim the triangle half of the background suare. That way when I press it back and it is off by a little, I stil have the original size of the background rectangle.

I agree with CWESSEL47 - I use the same technique, and as far as I'm concerned it's the only way to make perfect Flying Geese. As you say, no special rulers, very little math - I could make them all day long.

I just finished 96 using this method. They came out very nicely after I scraped a few finding the correct size squares to cut to get my desired finished size.

Can't go wrong with this method. :thumbup:

Do an online search for Ricky Tim's one seam flying geese. They are super easy.

My flying geese looked more like seagulls in a 'Storm at Sea' but the E. Burns rulers worked for me

Her ruler does work very well. Several rulers out there that take all the frustration out of it. I have finally mastered the technique, but I think they are so boring to make. I have made 3 king size flying geese quilts [requests] so I had to get better, ha

Wow! I haven't seen this before. I am going to try it. Looks easy enough. Thanks.

When i took a class the teacher told us to start on the line about 3 or 4 stitches and then slightly vere off the line towards the point and sew till you get about 3or 4 stitches then go back on the the line.this will give you a little extra when you press open and then you can trim.
Works for me everytime.
I think MadQuilter described this also.
Gale

I have been quilting for quite a while, not a perfectionist. Some things just never turn out as good as I would like.

Have you tried the 4-at-a-time method usually called the "no-waste" method? It's a simple formula and they come out perfect every time! Please PM if you want further information.

Geese are tricky birds... pinning them down isn't easy, just when you think you gott'em they move. Don't blame yourself, blame the darn geese.

I love the Eleanor Burns method. They always turn out perfect because you square them up, plus you make four at a time!!!!

I have used all the methods and Eleanor Burns method is the best. They are always slightly over sided so you are able to trim the block down to the correct size without loosing the point. Good luck on finding your way to create flying geese as each of us must find our own way that works best for us. And remember, no way is the wrong way.