Tips: Getting Ready: Geese

Traditional Geese

Traditonal

I made four geese following the directions in Gwen's books:  2-2.5" squares, 1-4.5" by 2.5" rectangle.

To 'save' the extra triangles I sewed them down too before cutting off from the goose.  The results are an odd size and would need to be trimmed up.  I think using a smaller seam would give a results with a better size.

I also experimented with cutting one of the geese in half and trimming to get two HST - this is a lot of work - I don't like this method for getting HST. And I think it's to much work to get one goose block - I like the way I've been doing it better - two cuts and get two geese!

One seam geese by other attendee.

Additional Methods to Try:

• Sophie's four geese at one time - each with the same color arrangement  
• One seam method by Ricky Tims  The other woman attending the workshop zipped up her geese in a flash she said with that method - I forgot to try that method out.....
• Michelle's Liberated Flying Geese Tutorial  A very liberated way that I will try soon!

My Way

My Way Geese - Freehand

Original My Way Geese - Directions

Then I went back to making a few geese 'my way'.  I now take two pieces of fabric the same size, then free hand cut a triangle.  Swap the fabric and sew it up! (I used to do with two different sizes of triangles but Benta's  comment on my original post pointed out I could be making two geese at the same time if I used the same size rectangles - so that's what I do now!

I like this way as I always have enough seam so I would not loose the points, and there is enough side fabric that I could more the triangle around.

Note: The way I originally did the cuts ended up with triangles that were different sized and shaped - very wonky... (and pleasing to me!)

Since my other parts for the workshop are not done in a wonky fashion though I thought I should try again - but this time use a ruler so the shapes would be consistent and in the center of the fabric.....

My Way Geese done with ruler.

I meant to take notes, but forgot to.  I think I started with 6 inches by 3 or 2.5 inches.

I just eyeballed the center of the fabric, but used the ruler to cut the triangle.  The first cut I went beyond the ruler to the edge of the fabric.

When was sewing I matched the edges of the fabric for the first seam - but for the second seam I pulled the side piece up so when the seam start the fabric would be at least 1/4 inch.

I like the way these look - need to move the ruler down to be sure I have 1/4 inch at the top all the time - and perhaps 5.5 would be better width as I don't need so much fabric at the side of the block.  But since I didn't write down the measurements I started with I really can't say.  Arranged this way would be an interesting design to put at the edge or sashing of a quilt.... Could make two with the same arrangement for the the geese and then it would be a square on point - could be very dramatic!

I decided to try again using 2.5 by 4.5 fabric....

My Way Geese with ruler and traditional size.

These are very cute.  They are smaller than the traditional size, but I really like them.  This I think will be the size I make for the workshop!

It's fun to have a variety of geese though - don't this look neat?  In fact, I think I will skip making HST for the workshop and instead try to make a bunch of these - they  would perhaps make neat sawtooth variation!

Assorted geese lined up.

Geese arranged for sawtooth replacement.

Geese as a design

Geese arranged for sawtooth edge

It's funny, Leah today was discussing the importance of testing before doing a big project (and I realized I have never washed my batting, or checked to see if the pencil would bleed thru, and am not really sure how I'm going to get my Wonky Shoo Fly or LibRR connected so they are quilts) but I did explore different ways to get my parts made.  The directions in Marston/Moran books for flying geese just seemed so time consuming (and traditional!) - I had to find quicker ways to get the parts in order...

It's been awhile since I first played with my liberated geese - but I was very pleased with the method.  Used in my LibRR but gave the rest of the geese away to a BlockLotto lady who was ill.  The first time I made a batch using the BlockLotto directions there were so much wasted fabric I didn't like making them that way at all.