Flying Geese problems

I just did this way with 4 sets of FG fabrics. The hardest part was centering the small square on top of the larger square. However, my final goose units did come out fine, even if they weren't centered perfectly. Actually, the units came out perfectly, as I was able to trim them all to the correct size. I didn't have the special ruler EB recommends, but I used my regular 6.5" square and that worked.

Thanks for the encouragement. I figure if *you* can do it, anyone can!

"frood" wrote in news:RYqTe.76082$ snipped-for-privacy@twister.southeast.rr.com:

lol.... yup..... pretty much :-) Glad it worked for you.... now... how you gonna quilt all those flying geese.... tree of life has me stalled.....

Jan

There is a link someone posted months ago to this url:

At a quick glance, this looks like the Eleanor Burns method, without the specialized ruler. (You don't really need the ruler, it just makes it easier). I have found that this is a good method to make smaller flying geese, but on bigger ones, the waste after trimming is too much for my comfort.

I use the method Wendy was having so much trouble with. I had trouble too, until I realized what somebody else posted - you need scant 1/4" seams for it to work well. It also takes a bit of care in aligning the small blocks but with practice the geese do come out pretty good.

Iris

For me, I'm still in the "quilting as an afterthought" stage of my quilting career. I don't even think about it until the top's done. Too much can happen to the final look before that. Since my geese are for a block exchange, they don't even have a quilt top design to fly through. Although, they will either get used in a border, as a corner accent, or as an all-over strippy kind of thing.

Try not to look at yours as FG, or even as triangle units. Step back, squint, and look at the area where the units are. That's your quilting space, not the blocks.

"frood" wrote in news:bwzTe.80041$ snipped-for-privacy@twister.southeast.rr.com:

Thanks! I'll take another look at it thru those eyes... after they get some coffee ;-)

Jan

what she said! some of us have 1/4" feet with guide bars that don't work on these geese, some machines have "true" 1/4" feet, some ppl will move their needles... so let them know that accuracy is key.

I always cut at the full inch rather than the 7/8" just cause it is easier for me that way. Even with the extra trimming.

That's the method I use, and it usually works for me. (I'm a math geek, and I like the fact there is no waste, as well).

It's really important to use only a skinny 1/4" seam from the line. And, if the line is drawn thick (since you cut on it, some folks use markers) you really have to be careful that the skinny 1/4" is measured from the far side of the line.

To be honest, I don't draw a line at all. I have a quilty thingy.... can't remember the name atm and I am at work... that sits on the flatbed of my sewing machine and lines up with the needle and has a line vertically. I keep the diagonal point of the unit I am sewing lined up with the vertical line on the thingy and sew a scant 1/4" from there.

Also, pressing is your friend. Make sure to "set" the sewn lines first, then press so that there is no 'wrinkle' under the seam.

If all else fails, you CAN start with bigger squares... just be sure to trim PROPERLY if the units are too big.

Wendy, maybe your 1/4" seam allowance is just a squitch too large. It is amazing what 1 thread to the left or right will do to the final measurement! When I am stitching my scant 1/4 inch, I make sure all the fabric is under the presser foot, with none peeking out to the right, and when making the "no waste flying geese", I always take the time to draw the line with a SHARP pencil, and when stitching, I make sure this line is just under the right edge of my presser foot. I have taught this method to many people, and it really requires a Scant 1/4 Inch! Hope this helps

I know the "thingy" you mean, but I don't have it. Instead, I have used an extra-fine point Sharpie to mark two lines on my machine, from the needle plate all the way down the front of it. One is directly in line with the needle; the other is 1/4" away. It is handy for doing small half-square triangles or the corners on snowball-blocks and for sewing binding strips together on the diagonal. For doing larger pieces, I took a piece of template plastic and marked two lines 1/4" apart. I tape this to my machine, with the lines lined up with the lines on my machine. The plastic piece is about 5x7"; it was what I had on hand and works well.

A picture is worth 1000 words:

Julia, Is that machine a Baby Lock? Looks just like my Baby ...

Anne in CA -- thinking about Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito ;-) "It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you've got." -- Sheryl Crow

No. It's an Elna Quilter's Dream

Julia in MN

OK. Never mind. I would have loved to have a twin sister though ;-)

)O( Anne in CA )O( "It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you've got." -- Sheryl Crow