Saturday, March 30, 2013

Flying Geese Practice


I didn't want to cut into my Kaffe Fassett prints to practice using my Quilt-in-a-Day Large Flying Geese ruler so I selected a strawberry print that my granddaughter pulled as a possibility for her doll quilt.... along with a pink gingham print as the background.  After reading the directions that came with the ruler and with the "Sparkling Cider" quilt pattern, I cut an 11" square of the strawberry print and a 9.5" square of the background fabric.


Center the smaller fabric square, pin, and then draw a pencil line from corner to corner.


 Next, sew a 1/4" seam on each side of the pencil line...


...then cut along the pencil line to separate the square into two triangles.  Set seams and press open, with the seam heading in the direction of the larger fabric.


Line up the two squares on top of each other; the seams will not match.  Draw a line from corner to corner, crossing the two seams.


Once again, sew a 1/4" seam on each side of the pencil line.


Cut along the pencil line into two triangles, set seams, and press open with the seam to the background side of the fabric.  The right side of your two blocks will look like this.


Using a smaller cutting mat for ease of turning the block as you cut and trim, line up the lines of the ruler with the seams along the background fabric.  Cut across the top from side to side, then trim the Flying Goose section along the other three sides of the ruler.  Repeat for the second block.


Your Flying Geese block will be exactly 4.5" x 8.5"; which is the size I need for the four large stars in the "Sparkling Cider" quilt.


By starting with just two squares of fabric, you end up with four  Flying Geese blocks! 


Add 4.5" squares to the ends of two of the Flying Geese and an 8.5" center square...


...and you have a 16" (finished) star block!   I think this will make a nice throw pillow for my granddaughter's bed.

I've made Flying Geese blocks without this ruler and have to say the ruler is very easy use and all your points come out perfectly.


The Flying Geese ruler comes in a "small" size as well as a "jumbo" size.  If you're interested in ease and accuracy of Flying Geese blocks, I can recommend this ruler.

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Disclaimer:  I am not affliated with Quilt-in-a-Day or with any shop or enterprise that sells this ruler. 


 

11 comments:

  1. Looks like a very slick technique. What I want to know is this--who thinks of these things? : )

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  2. At my first quiltingclasses I learned it that way too, it's very easy but I never used it again....you know I prefere to sew everything by hand ;o)
    Greetings
    Roos

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  3. It turned out good and I bet your granddaughter will like it alot!

    I often wonder which ones of the rulers I "Need". Maybe this one....

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  4. Nice tutorial. I especially like how you made something nice--not just a practice piece!

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  5. Thank you for the tutorial. I have both of these rulers and love them. Hope you have a very Happy Easter. Hugs

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  6. Great Flying Geese and virtually no fabric waste, at the beginning, I couldn't work out how it was going to turn into Flying Geese, then once you laid the ruler on top it clicked, what a great ruler.

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  7. I love shortcuts! Happy Easter Blessings to you, Miss Freda ~
    :-}pokey

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  8. They are great rulers, you will love using them.

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  9. I also have these flying geese rulers and love them.
    Lillian

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