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6 TIPS TO IMPROVE FLYING GEESE UNITS


ANNOUNCING THE BRAND SPANKING NEW  INDEX FOR EDUCATIONAL TIDBITS  ON THE CRAZY QUILTERS WEBSITE  


A PRE-CUTS CHART   


A PLAN TO USE EVERY FABRIC SCRAP


INTRODUCING THE FABRIC CAFÉ


LET’S TALK TRASH, OR AT LEAST, HOW TO MAKE  A CUTE RUBBISH BIN


FINISHED OR UNFINISHED? THAT IS THE QUESTION


FREE STUFF YOU CAN USE TO MAKE A QUILT


PHILANTHROPY


ANOTHER TIDBIT ON MODIFYING A QUILT PATTERN


HAVE YOU EVER MADE A POTATO CHIP BLOCK QUILT?  


CHAIN PIECING HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES USING THE ACCORDION METHOD  


HOW TO ACCOMPLISH ERROR-FREE BINDING STRIP JOINTS  


REFRESHER ABOUT USE OF A ROTARY CUTTER  


MY NEW WAY TO PICK A PROJECT “TO DO” NEXT


HOW TO FOLD A QUILT TO PREVENT FIBER DAMAGE  AND TO ALLEVIATE HEAVY CREASES   


GOING FROM “TO DO” TO “TA-DONE” AND INTRODUCING YOU TO A UFO CHALLENGE  


SLOW DOWN AND ENJOY SEWING YOUR QUILT TOP  


WHEN YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR QUILT TOP,  IS IT REALLY READY TO BE QUILTED?  


HOW TO STORE STRIPS AFTER YOU CUT THEM  


EMPLOYING A COUPLE OF ITEMS  TO HELP WITH QUILT PROJECTS  


SEWING EASY PILLOWCASES USING THE BURRITO METHOD  


Blue Painter's Tape is a Handy Tool for Quick Marking


Get Creative With Sashing


Lori Holt's Design Boards


Decluttering Your Sewing Space  


Give Yourself Another Hand  


Bobbin Organization and Storage  


Salvage those Selvages  


Another Half Square Triangle Tidbit, But This Time It Involves Pumpkins!  


Avoid the Temptation to Use Tiny Templates to Cut Fabric  


A Method for Starching Pre-Cut Fabrics  


Introducing Jordan Fabrics “Twinkle Little Star” Center Square Technique  


A FREE SHAMROCK PATTERN  


AN EASY WAY TO MAKE A 4-PATCH BLOCK  


WE NOW HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO SEW THOSE BONANZA AND CHRISTMAS UFO’S  


REUSABLE ROW AND BLOCK NUMBERS  


SOME SOLUTIONS TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF FRAYING FABRIC


MAKE FOUR FLYING GEESE UNITS AT ONE TIME  


WHAT TO DO WHEN CORNER POINTS DON’T WANT TO MATCH UP  


THREE WAYS TO SEW BINDING: ONE AND DONE  


THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER  


Make Something Fun and Simple as a Distraction While Sewing a Complicated Quilt  


Changing a Quilt Pattern to Work For You  


January Musings  


Mitered Borders  


Edge Turn Machine Applique’ Using Light Weight Pellon  


Binding  


Using Up 2½-inch Squares, Employing Batting Scraps to Layout Blocks, and Sewing Half Square Triangles  


Preparing Fabric Prior to Cutting, Invisibly Piecing Quilt Backing, and Introducing Acorn Piecing Glue  


Squaring Up Blocks and a Mobile Design Wall  


The Quick Ripper, A Take-Apart Cutting Ruler, and Other Ramblings  


Gadgets and Gizmos  


The Five-Star Method for Testing the ¼ Inch Seam  


Dealing With Overstuffed Magazine Storage  


Review Your Subscription Expiration Dates  


What to Do with Fabric Leftovers after the Bonanza?  


Cutting Tools and Cutting Aids  


Chain Piecing a 9-Patch Block  


Washing Fabrics and Quilts  


How To Make a Block Press  


Tips on Consistently Sewing an Accurate Quilt Block


A Quick Way to Un-Sew Seams, Using a Seam Ripper, Without Cutting the Fabric


Repurpose Your 2018 Paper Calendar for Your Next Quilt Project






November 2025
6 TIPS TO IMPROVE FLYING GEESE UNITS

 
Happy November 2025.  Thanksgiving feasts are coming and so is Black Friday Shopping.  The holidays are coming.  I am looking forward to more pumpkin pie to savor.  Yay!  I love this time of year.  Don't forget Bonanza at Clubhouse 4, the first Saturday and Sunday of November.  One more thing, I almost forgot, we have the end of Daylight Savings Time, it is time to "fall back" an hour. 

This month I want to introduce you to an article on tips to improve any flying geese units you may want to create.  These units look really great in quilts but sometimes they can be tricky to sew.  You really need them to be sewn crisply and accurately to look right.  I don't know about you but angles and triangles have a way of wiggling away from me and my flying geese can look like they have a bad wing or something.

To make flying geese, each unit will consist of a rectangle and two contrasting squares.  You sew the two squares with diagonal seams on the rectangle.  First sew the one on the left, press, cut away the excess, open and press again.  Then sew the one on the right of the rectangle, press, cut away the excess, open and press again.  (If you prefer, you can begin on the right and then move to the left, your choice)  This technique is much like snowballing.

FYI - Something I learned while reviewing this topic, the squares are the geese, and the rectangle is the sky.   I always thought the rectangle was the goose.  Anyway, I want to thank my good friend Shari Riter for suggesting this topic. 

I have not been able to get permission to reprint the article or its pictures so I have included a link at the end of this tidbit so you can go there and read the article in its entirety. 

The article includes easy to follow information and lots of very clear pictures.  I will summarize the six tips here.

Tip 1 - mark the squares diagonally using a thin marking tool

Tip 2 - if your sewing machine sucks points down inside, start sewing in the middle of the diagonal, reposition under the needle to turn and go the other way to get the whole seam sewn - or switch to a straight stitch plate on your sewing machine featuring a smaller needle hole so the fabric is not sucked in

Tip 3 - if your units are turning out too small, try sewing about 2 threads away from the diagonal line (sew away from the diagonal on the side where you will cut away the excess fabric later) - this gives you more room when you fold the unit open

Tip 4 - after sewing, set the seams with a hot iron before opening the unit

Tip 5 - trim multiple flying geese units at once by carefully lining them up on a cutting mat, using an acrylic ruler and rotary cutter to trim off the excess

Tip 6 - when joining two flying geese units put the unit  (whose point will be in the seam) on top for sewing.

If you don't want to use the link to reach the article, go to your search browser and type in:  6 Tips to Improve Flying Geese Units  - and it should come up under AllPeopleQuilt.com.  This article was published May 22, 2024.
https://www.allpeoplequilt.com/6-tips-to-improve-flying-geese-8649951

Happy November and December.  Blessings to you and your family.  Have a great Thanksgiving.  I plan to skip December and be back in January with a new tidbit.   I am still researching a great topic recommended by our own Renee Jeske. 
 




multi color stripe
Please e-mail the Webmaster for any problems with the website or any questions: webmaster@crazyquiltersguild.org
 


November 2025
6 TIPS TO IMPROVE FLYING GEESE UNITS

 
Happy November 2025.  Thanksgiving feasts are coming and so is Black Friday Shopping.  The holidays are coming.  I am looking forward to more pumpkin pie to savor.  Yay!  I love this time of year.  Don't forget Bonanza at Clubhouse 4, the first Saturday and Sunday of November.  One more thing, I almost forgot, we have the end of Daylight Savings Time, it is time to "fall back" an hour. 

This month I want to introduce you to an article on tips to improve any flying geese units you may want to create.  These units look really great in quilts but sometimes they can be tricky to sew.  You really need them to be sewn crisply and accurately to look right.  I don't know about you but angles and triangles have a way of wiggling away from me and my flying geese can look like they have a bad wing or something.

To make flying geese, each unit will consist of a rectangle and two contrasting squares.  You sew the two squares with diagonal seams on the rectangle.  First sew the one on the left, press, cut away the excess, open and press again.  Then sew the one on the right of the rectangle, press, cut away the excess, open and press again.  (If you prefer, you can begin on the right and then move to the left, your choice)  This technique is much like snowballing.

FYI - Something I learned while reviewing this topic, the squares are the geese, and the rectangle is the sky.   I always thought the rectangle was the goose.  Anyway, I want to thank my good friend Shari Riter for suggesting this topic. 

I have not been able to get permission to reprint the article or its pictures so I have included a link at the end of this tidbit so you can go there and read the article in its entirety. 

The article includes easy to follow information and lots of very clear pictures.  I will summarize the six tips here.

Tip 1 - mark the squares diagonally using a thin marking tool

Tip 2 - if your sewing machine sucks points down inside, start sewing in the middle of the diagonal, reposition under the needle to turn and go the other way to get the whole seam sewn - or switch to a straight stitch plate on your sewing machine featuring a smaller needle hole so the fabric is not sucked in

Tip 3 - if your units are turning out too small, try sewing about 2 threads away from the diagonal line (sew away from the diagonal on the side where you will cut away the excess fabric later) - this gives you more room when you fold the unit open

Tip 4 - after sewing, set the seams with a hot iron before opening the unit

Tip 5 - trim multiple flying geese units at once by carefully lining them up on a cutting mat, using an acrylic ruler and rotary cutter to trim off the excess

Tip 6 - when joining two flying geese units put the unit  (whose point will be in the seam) on top for sewing.

If you don't want to use the link to reach the article, go to your search browser and type in:  6 Tips to Improve Flying Geese Units  - and it should come up under AllPeopleQuilt.com.  This article was published May 22, 2024.
https://www.allpeoplequilt.com/6-tips-to-improve-flying-geese-8649951

Happy November and December.  Blessings to you and your family.  Have a great Thanksgiving.  I plan to skip December and be back in January with a new tidbit.   I am still researching a great topic recommended by our own Renee Jeske.