The Flying Geese Quilt Block

Creating something from nothing is always a quilters favorite.

The flying geese quilt block has been around for so long that sometimes we forget to use the many creative benefits. The flying geese can be used in borders to frame a beautiful quilt. Or use them in your quilts alone or with other blocks to compliment each other.

You can sew the flying geese using the half square triangle method or actually sewing the triangles on the geese. For this pattern, we will use the half square triangles only because they are easier for the beginner quilter.

To complete one block for a sampler quilt:

Materials:
Fat quarter fabric in six colors (green, brown flowers, brown print, black, red and tan)
Backing
Batting

Step 1 - Use the rotary cutting techniques.

Cut 2 patches 3 ½” square from each of the green, brown flowers and black fabrics.
Cut 1 patch 3 ½” square from each of the brown print and red fabrics.
Cut 8 patches 3 ½” square from the tan fabric.

Step 2 - Use the half square triangle method.

Place one 3 ½” square of green fabric and one 3 ½” square of the tan fabric, right sides together. Draw a line on the diagonal on the lighter fabric from one corner to the opposite corner. Stitch ¼” on each side of the marked line.

Cut on the drawn line with your rotary cutter or scissors to separate the square into triangles.

Fold open the square and press the seam allowances toward the darker fabric. Using your plastic ruler, trim the square to be 2 ½”. Be sure to use the 45 degree angle on your ruler.

Repeat this procedure with the brown flowers/tan fabrics, the brown print/tan fabrics, the black/tan fabrics, and the red/tan fabrics.

You will need a total of 4 half square triangles measuring 2 ½” from the green/tan fabrics, brown flowers/tan fabrics, and black/tan fabrics.

You will need a total of 2 half square triangles measuring 2 ½” from the brown print/tan fabrics and the red/tan fabrics.

Step 3 - Sew two green half square triangles together to complete one flying geese unit. Repeat sewing the two remaining half square triangles. You should have 2 complete flying geese units in green.

Step 4 - Repeat the same procedure with the brown flowers and black fabrics completing 2 flying geese units from each fabric.

Repeat the same procedure with the brown print and red fabrics completing 1 flying geese unit from each fabric.

Step 5 - Working in a vertical row, sew four flying geese units as shown in the picture. Be sure to line the top of the geese up.

Step 6 - Repeat the same procedure with the remaining flying geese units.

Step 7 - Sew the rows together to complete the flying geese quilt block.

The flying geese quilt block gives us many options. You can use the same color continuously in a border or use up your scraps.

Use long strips of flying geese units, combined with a rich fabric (evergreen for example) as the frame between the strips to give the effect of falling leaves.

Go to Quick and Easy Quilting Ideas from Flying Geese Quilt Block