Blue Flying Geese: Queen-Size Quilt It seems I m currently obsessed with Giant Flying Geese. The newest queen-size quilt in the Giant Flying Geese collection is created from every blue shade in my own fabric stash. Speaking of fabric stash: Smaller scraps (bigger than 2 and too small to properly fold to store) sorted by color in ziploc bags. The ziplocs are then stored in a plastic tub. Larger scraps (big enough to fold, but not a fat quarter OR a big piece that has a weird shape cut out of a portion of it) folded, sorted by color in a plastic tub. Fat Quarters (only the square ones, not actual 1/4 yard cuts) sorted by color in two fabric bins in the cubbies. Ok, so now that we ve gone through the scraps it was time to cut! 56 squares measuring 8-7/8 x 8-7/8 NOTE: I created an 8-7/8 x 8-7/8 square template from paper to lay over each scrap to determine if it was
big enough. Huge time saver! 14 squares measuring 17-1/4 x 17-1/4 Since this was scrappy, I knew I wanted scrappy binding. Each time I had a bit extra fabric, I d cut off a 2-1/4 x width to use later at the end of the project. I also stored all those in a ziploc bag because I didn t want to lose them before the quilt was finished. Using the No-Waste Flying Geese Method on this large scale, detailed on the original pattern post, I whipped up 56 flying geese blocks in a weekend. Ok. that is going well. There s a simple method to planning a quilt this larger without a design wall. Start with 56 geese. Set one random geese block aside. It will not be used at all. Choose five other geese blocks to set aside. These will be added to the quilt, one per column. Sew the remaining 50 geese units together into 25 pairs. Create five total columns featuring five pairs each. Rotate the blocks as you add them to the column. Add in that one remaining block anywhere within the column. Add a border if you like.
Ta dah super scrappy with no design wall or stress. THAT is how I can finish quilt tops in a weekend. I heart math. (sometimes) Now to the machine quilting! Unlike the other quilts created in this style, I didn t treat each triangle individually. Instead, I stitch swirls over the entire design. Working from right to left, I was on a roll! That is, until I hit a bump. Not a real bump, but rather an adorable giant doggy speed-bump. Turns out this was the perfect spot to lay in the afternoon. In her defense, I did have a purple box fan blowing beside me.
My quilting stance started to look like a yoga pose, as to not wake the helper-dog. The light in the longarm room, which some may call The Formal Dining Room
(HA!), is perfect. The quilting pictures turn out so neat. All aboard the binding train! Most everything I quilt is finished with machineapplied and machine-finished binding. There s a large table in my sewing room to support the weight of the quilt, and I think that is the main reason that I actually enjoy the binding step. I found the trusty ziploc of binding-size scraps and stitched them end-to-end. Remember, I was just cutting and cutting and cutting pieces to add to the bag? I wanted to make sure I had enough, but really, this seems excessive:
There is only one single thing I do not like about scrappy binding; and dangit, if it doesn t happen more often than not:
Seam right in the corner! DANGIT. DANGIT. Generally I just take the quilt out from under the machine, cut out the seam, and re-join the binding further up along the stitched side. Yes, the ever-popular seam ripper will be involved.
I wish this was a before picture (below), but alas, it is not. I had enough scrap binding left over to finish up a baby quilt. OOOOOPS!!!
Ready to see the finished quilt photographed in glaring sunlight?
My assistant did another fantastic job holding the quilt. He s not digging the glaring sunlight either. #gamer
Thanks, kiddo!
For more information on the original Fat Quarter Flying Geese pattern, check it out here.