Trimming Flying Geese units
 

I am a huge Deb Tucker fan, but I'm working on a project that requires FG units that finish at 2.5" by 1.25". Her Wing Clipper doesn't offer that size. I looked at our other rulers to try to find a way to trim these units to 3" by 1.75" and found a way to do it with good accuracy. I thought someone else might find it useful, so here I am.

I started by making FG the "Four at a Time" or "No Waste" method, but you could just as easily start with a single unit made the traditional way. My large sky square was 4.5" and my four small goose squares were 2.5" (remember you have to oversize). I'm using the Creative Grids "Quick Trim and Circle" ruler. I use this ruler all the time and highly recommend it for small jobs, binding, and now this.
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Sorry about the shadows. I wish I had installed double the lights in this room. You need a ruler that has opposing 45* lines that meet a quarter inch From the edge of the ruler.

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Put the nose of the goose into the crossing of the two lines and trim that side.

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You now have one "true" side that you can use to trim the other sides. Turn your unit over and trim the opposite side to your unfinished height, in this case 1.75". My ruler happens to have a solid white line at 1.75".

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Now position your unit horizontal in front of you and figure half of the unfinished width of your unit. In this case that's 1.5". Line up your ruler so that measurement is aligned with the tip of the goose and the top and bottom are aligned with a mark on your ruler. The edge of the ruler should cross at the intersection of your goose and sky fabrics. Trim the side.

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Now turn the unit over and again align the half measurement from above with the tip of the goose, and make sure your other three sides are also aligned. Your ruler should cross the intersection of your goose and sky fabrics. Trim the last side.

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Now you should have a perfectly sized unit with the intersections in the corners and the nose of your goose a quarter inch from the edge.

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Thanks for this tute. Another ruler that i use is the "Fit to be Geese". But it also does not have my equally tiny goose on it; 1 1/2 x 2.5. Mine is for the Summer at the Cabin-- block of the week. This one is from Piecing the Past by Deb McInnis. I'm going to have to stop until I get my new glasses.

Flooding in Hersey, PA. Bonnie Hunter just was in that town.

thanks for taking the time to post this informative tutorial

wesing....is this the 3 1/2" x 12 1/2" ruler? I may have to get one.

Thanks..I use a similar method, but really like the ruler you have shared.

Linda -

Yes, that’s the one. They also have a 4.5 by 18.5 (I think) that does all the same things.

I just went to the CG website and saw that several of their rulers have the opposing 45* that meet a quarter inch from the edge. If you don’t want to buy another ruler and you use CG, check some of your other rulers. I would imagine other makers have these markings as well. I do love this ruler though and it is always on my cutting table because I use it so much.

Sorry folks I just noticed an error on my OP. The large square is the goose and the small square is the sky. Stupid late night mistake. I’m sure you all knew what I meant.

I have this ruler and it is wonderful. Worth every cent I paid for it. I use it all the time as many times you need a small ruler. Thanks for the good tutorial.

That's exactly how I do mine! Works so well. Creative Grids rulers also have the intersecting lines at the 1/4" mark.

Thanks for tutorial.. Great ruler.