Quiltmaker#191• QuiltingCompany.com 87
I loveflyinggeeseunits.Andthisblockcontainsnothingbut!Inspiredby
photos taken of an antique quilt top on one of my teaching travels, I knew I
would take this old block and use my more modern methods of pulling strips
from my own Scrap User’s System and using my Essential Triangle Tool, and
easily fi nd myself cutting the quarter-square “goose” triangles and half-square
“wing” triangles from scrap 2½" strips. I fi nd working with specialty rulers
and strips to be my go-to method. Traditional rotary cutting and fl ying geese
methods are also given below for those who don’t have access to this ruler.
While I am inspired by blocks, I am often on the look out for settings and
ideas that will take this simple block from nicely ordinary and predictable to
something a little bit different. Do I want to set it straight without sashes? Or
maybe with sashes and cornerstones? What about joining blocks into groups
of four, and then sashing them as one BIG block? How about using them on
point, or as an alternate block combined with a block of similar size? Do you
want all of your blocks to have the same background? Or each block quar-
ter unit to have one background, giving you four background fabrics per 8’’
block? Or do you want to run the gamut and use ALL different neutral prints
for the 16 wing triangles in each block?
The possibilities are endless—and the same goes for all of the 8 geese tri-
angles within the block itself. While I have separated them into color families,
you could make the entire quilt from just two colors. What about red and
white? Or blue and white, for very classic looks?
I can’t wait to see what you make from this very simple block—it packs a lot
of punch!
cutting
Finished Block: 8”
For one block, cut the following:
Assorted Blue Prints
Cut 4 matching sets of:
2 rectangles 2½” x 4½” (A)
White Prints
Cut 4 matching sets of:
4 squares 2½” (B)
To make Geese On The Fly, refer to
“Stitch-and-Flip” in Basic Lessons.
Use 1 blue A and 2 white B’s to
make unit as shown. Make
4 sets of 2 matching units.
Join 8 units as shown to complete
the block.
To learn more about Bonnie and see
past blocks, visit quiltingcompany.com/
addicted-to-scraps-quiltmaker.
Post pictures of your projects
made with Bonnie’s blocks using
#AddictedToScraps.Addicted to Scraps
by Bonnie Hunter
What do you do with all the scraps you save? “Use them!” declares Bonnie.
Geese on the Fly
Unit
Stitch &Flip
Make 4 setsof
2 matchingB ABBlock Assembly