miss_sonja

I have not yet tried to make any Flying Geese but was recently looking closely at them and to me, they look like theycould be made from two half square triangle blocks. Does anyone do that? Ordo the seam allowances mess it up? (Yes, I am lookjng for a shortcut )

nativetexan

putting two hst's together do look like a flying geese. Sometimes I do that rather than make the flying geese. Doesn't mess up anything.
here are three methods to make flying geese http://www.quilterscache.com/H/Howtomakegeese.html and another one you might want to try one day http://www.clothworkstextiles.com/blog/?p=280

miss_sonja

Thanks for the links! I am tempted to just do the 1/2 square triangles and see how it looks. I'm more of a modern quilter.

dunster

I don't think there's really any less work in making two HST's than in making one flying geese unit, and you do avoid having that seam down the middle of the block. However it's totally your quilt, your decision.

PaperPrincess

Yes I sometimes just substitute 2 HSTs for flying geese. I did this on a scrap quilt where I had already cut the scraps into squares then picked the pattern, which needed flying geese.

toverly

I've done that. Recently I have been working on a quilt that required 160 flying geese. I forced myself to learn the no waste method. It worked great but I did purchase a flying geese trimmer ruler at LQS to help square them up. Mine never turn out perfect, no matter how I cut or sew them.

GEMRM

I like the four at a time process and I use the Lazy Girl ruler for them - makes a variety of different sizes easy! This ruler also has process for HST. It's one of the few specialty rulers I actually use.

ghostrider

I'm not sure what being a modern quilter has to do with avoiding the usual method of making flying geese, but it's totally your decision. I, personally, don't like having unnecessary seams breaking up the visual flow of my quilts so, since they really aren't any harder to make than the faux version, I stick with single unit geese no matter what style quilt I'm making.

Geri B

It will look the same..aren't most of us modern quilters....we have sewing machines and this avenue of social media....

NanaCsews2

It works when you try it and seams will line up, measurements are equal to original design, and the final result is the same. Anytime I can make the block easier for me and still end up with the same block as the designer intended, then I will go out of my way to find it right at the start. I tend to look at the blocks before reading the pattern, making sure I understand what I need to do and if it is not beyond my reach. Then I read the pattern. Many times I can pick out a section of the block and replace it with an easier way to do it. Why? Because I have listened to you good folks on here with your shortcuts and links to making my life easier. I have done flying geese with HST's, strip stitched and cut out templates vs. using single templates called for in the patterns, and the list goes on. Took me awhile (slow learner maybe?) but I got in the habit of doing up a sample before going headstrong with the quilt. Sometimes seams don't line up or measurements don't work with my shortcuts. And that is when I appreciate someone else having done all the work for me in creating their designs that I 'just have to do'.
P.S. NOT a stupid question.....