Geese on the Wall

Last week I spent a lot of time in the sewing room, working on this: 

This is my KBFG (Kaffe/Batik Flying Geese) project - it will finish about 78 by 90 when complete but it takes up my whole design wall. I can't get far enough away in my sewing room to get a good picture.

 

Every time I taka a photo and look at it, I find pieces I have to move around. And moving one piece means several more have to be adjusted....

 

This project has 390 flying geese, 270 of them with light sky and 120 with dark sky. 13 columns, 30 rows of 3" x 6" flying geese units. So far there are 46 different fabrics:
- 14 Kaffe Fasset prints
- 7 Batiks
- 2 other prints for geese
- 13 white ground sky prints
- 10 black ground sky prints

This week I'll get each row labeled, packed up and organized so I can assemble the top later, at camp at the end of July.

Link ups:
Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced
Lets Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

June Stash Report & Goals Update

Stash Report:

OK, it's not the last day of June, but I don't expect any more finishes or fabric acquisitions between now and Tuesday so I'll go ahead and post my stash report for the month today.

June IN: 12.5 yards (9 yds from Darlene's stash;  2 yds Kaffe prints;  1-1/2 yds black prints)
June OUT: 8.75 yards (Boy Charity Quilt: 1-1/2 yds back, 3/8 yd binding.  Girl charity quilt: 2 yds top, 1-1/2 yds backing, 3/8 yds binding.  Handbag 2-1/2 yds. FG tutorial, 1/2 yd)
June Net Change: 3.75 yards added to the stash

YTD IN: 107.5
YTD OUT: 87.125
YTD Net Change: 23.375 yards added to the stash

I actually cut and sewed over 10 yards for the flying geese project, but since the top isn't finished, I can't count it out yet.

Partial view of flying geese project on wall

Goals:

June Update:
1. Prep for and attend GS camp retreat - DONE. And I had such a good time!
2. Make tote bag using pattern purchased in Paducah - DONE, but disappointed in the size. I may have to make another larger one someday.
3. Layer, baste, quilt and bind boy donation quilt - DONE
4. Write tutorial for matching fabric print at seam. Not done (someone posted a video tutorial on the same topic) but I did write a tutorial for FG with directional fabrics instead.
5. Keep up with bee blocks, including resolving the problem from last month. Current month done but last month's problem can't be resolved until I see the block's owner on July 11.

Other: Started new Flying Geese project, made over 400 FG units for it, & laid them out on design wall.

July Goals:
1. Organize Flying Geese project to work on at quilt camp at end of July
2. Make award ribbon for CSQ, due 7/21
3. Make fidget quilt for CSQ, due 7/21
4. Piece backing for Collection Plus quilt
5. Layer/baste/quilt/bind Collection Plus quilt before 8/8
6. Keep up with bee blocks, including resolving the problem from May.
7. If Gramercy & Friends comes back from the quilter, bind and finish it.

That ought to be plenty to keep me busy in July! What are you working on this month?
Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.

Finally, a sunny day for a photo...

Batik Dot Donation Quilt, Girl Colorway

It rained most of the week and it's raining again this morning, but we had sun yesterday so I was finally able to get an outdoor photo of the girl donation quilt. Linking up with Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict - because a sunny day is whoop-worthy around here, right?  - and Friday Finish at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Meanwhile during all that rain, I worked on laying out the flying geese project on the design wall. It's not quite there yet; I have to substitute some FG units where the sky prints look too dark. I'll make a few (dozen) more geese with whiter prints. It's looking pretty cool, and will look even better when I get the lighter ones substituted in. Come back Monday to see progress....

Thanks for stopping by!

WIP: Flying Geese

I've been making flying geese. Lots of them. These are all batches of four.

My project requires 390 of them, 270 with light sky and 120 with dark sky.

 

 

Now I have them all made, plus a few extras for good measure, and I can start laying them out.

 

I've been using the Four-at-a-Time no waste method for making them. I discovered a few new-to-me things about using this method with directional fabrics, so I wrote up a tutorial of my findings. You can see it in the post below or click on the link. This method may not be suitable for all patterns because you'll always end up with your prints going in four directions. But you can make two one-way prints match direction in the same individual FG unit.

 

 

This method would be excellent for star points.

 

 

Have you played with Flying Geese lately?

 

Linking up with Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts and WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Four-at-a-Time Flying Geese Using Directional Fabrics

© 2015 Jan Ochterbeck
For an easily printable free pdf, please e-mail me at ochterbeckj (at) gmail (dot) com. Teachers, if you want to use these instructions in a class, please contact me first.


I love Flying Geese.

I’d rather use Flying Geese than Half Square Triangles wherever possible, because there are fewer points to match (or lose) and less bulk due to fewer seams. My favorite method of making Flying Geese is the Four-at-a-Time Method. If you’re not familiar with this method, there are lots of good tutorials on the Web, so go find one and try out this technique. For your first attempt, be sure to use non-directional fabrics.

Much as I like the Four-at-a-Time Method for Flying Geese, there are some challenges and considerations when using this method with directional prints. I've figured out how to make sure both sky pieces go in the same direction. But with the Four-at-a-Time method, you'll always end up with FG units whose prints go in all four directions. In some cases this is great. In others, it may not be what you want in your pattern.

Here we’ll look at four directional fabric scenarios and the results you can expect when using the Four-at-a-Time method with them.  But first, we’ll start with some general notes.

General Directions:

Determine the finished size of your flying geese units.

For the geese fabric, add 1-1/4” to the long side measurement and cut a square this size.

For the sky fabric, add 7/8” to the short side measurement and cut 4 squares this size.

Mark each of the smaller squares on the wrong side on the diagonal; for directional sky fabrics, see specific marking notes below.

Case 1: Directional fabric for the geese, the large square:

 

Note that this is a one way print; in this case the fans are facing upward. When using a directional fabric for the geese, it’s better to choose a non-directional fabric for the sky. You will end up with geese going in four directions.

1-1. Place two of the smaller sky fabric squares right sides together (RST) with the geese fabric. It doesn’t matter which direction the geese fabric print is going.

 

1-2. Sew 1/4” on each side of the drawn lines. Cut on the drawn line.

 

1-3. Press the sky corners out.

 

1-4.  Place a smaller sky fabric square right sides together with each unit and sew 1/4” on each side of the drawn line.

 

1-5.  Cut apart on the drawn line and press sky corners out.

 

1-6. Trim points and square up. Notice that you get geese with the print going in all four directions. If this is not acceptable in your design, then the four-at-a-time method is not suitable for your design.

 

 

 

Case 2: Two-way directional fabric for the sky:

When using a directional fabric for the sky, it’s better to choose a non-directional fabric for the geese. While these instructions and results apply to any two-way directional fabric, we’ll refer to the sky fabric as stripes here for clarity. You will end up with two FG units with vertical striped sky and two with horizontal striped sky. This may be desirable if you’re making star points.

2-1.  When marking your sky fabrics, make sure the stripes are going SouthWest to NorthEast on two of the squares, and NorthWest to SouthEast on the other two.

 

2-2. Place two of the squares right sides together with your geese fabric. Always start with the ones that go SW to NE.

 

2-3. Sew 1/4” on each side of the marked line. Cut on the marked line and press the sky corners out. Notice that the stripes run SW to NE after pressing.

 

2-4. Place the other sky squares RST with each unit. Make sure the stripes are NW to SE, 90 degrees from the first set.

 

2-5. Sew 1/4” on each side of the marked line, cut apart, press the sky corners out, trim and square up. Note that you have two geese units with vertical sky and two units with horizontal sky. If this is not acceptable in your design, then the four-at-a-time method is not suitable for your design.

 

These directional FG units could be very good for star points.

 

 

 

 

Case 3: One-way fabric for the sky:

Again, when using a one-way directional fabric for the sky, it’s better to choose a non-directional fabric for the geese. Here a text print is shown for the sky pieces. You will end up with FG units with sky going in each direction. This is good if you’re making star points.

3-1. When marking your sky fabrics, make sure the top of the pattern is at the upper on left on two of the squares, and upper right on the other two. In the photo below, the ones on the left have the tops of the words at the upper left, and the ones on the right have the tops of the words on the upper right.

 

3-2. Starting with the sky squares with the top of the pattern going up and to the left, align small squares right sides together with large square as shown in the previous instructions.  (Sorry, no photo of this step. Use the sky squares shown in the lower left in the photo above.)

 

3-3. Sew 1/4” on each side of the drawn lines. Cut on the drawn line, and press sky corners out. Note that one unit has the print facing up/left and the other unit has the print facing down/right.

 

3-4. Position the sky squares right sides together with the units so the pattern will go upward or downward the same as in the sewn units.  Here the patches are folded back so you can see what direction the text is going in. Note that on the back side of the fabric the pattern looks rotated 90 degrees from the sewn pieces, but when folded, the pattern goes in the same direction.

 

3-5. Sew 1/4“ on each side of the marked line, cut apart, press the sky corners out, trim and square up. This results in FG units with the sky print going in each direction. If this is not acceptable in your design, then the four-at-a-time method is not suitable for your design.

 

This method is particularly good for star points, since the print is going in the same direction in all of the points. 

 

 

 

Case 4: One Way Prints for Both the Geese and the Sky:

 

Sometimes one way prints are unavoidable, but they’re trickier to work with.  We can make FG units with all the prints going in the same direction, but we’ll get FG units going all four ways. This might be great for star points or background squares.

4-1. Mark the sky pieces as for stripes, on the diagonal on the wrong side.

 

4-2. Lay out the first two sky patches right sides together with the geese fabric, so that the top of the one-way geese fabric faces upward and the tops of the sky patches face to the right. The marked lines should run SW to NE.  To check placement, fold on the marked lines; the sky print should go in the same direction as the geese print.

 

4-3. Sew 1/4” on each side of the marked lines; cut apart on the line and press the sky corners out.

 

4-4. Lay out sky patches RST with the print facing 90 degrees from the prints in the units. Fold back the sky patches to check placement; when folded, the print should go in the same direction as in the sewn units.

 

4-5. Sew 1/4” on each side of the marked lines; cut apart on the lines and press the sky corners out. Trim and square up.

You will have FG units in which the geese and sky prints are oriented in the same direction within each unit.  Each FG unit will have the prints going in a different direction. Note how the prints face up, down, right, and left here:

 

Shown with prints all facing upward

 

Shown in star point layout with prints all facing upward

 

 

I hope this little tutorial will be helpful if you ever want to make Flying Geese out of directional fabrics. If you have any questions, leave a comment or  email me at ochterbeckj (at) gmail (dot)com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Project: Kaffe Fasset Prints and Batik Flying Geese

So I started a new project last week....
In an effort to use stash, I pulled out my collection of Kaffe Fasset prints. When I was working on my book, my editors asked that one quilt be made of Kaffe Fasset prints. I bought some, and Westminster Fibers very kindly helped with sample cuts of several prints. Since they only sample whole yards, I had a lot of fabric left over. I pulled a few batiks that harmonize with them. I started making Flying Geese units with white background black & white print for the sky.

Design Wall 6/22/2015

I needed a few more FG so I bought some new prints to go with the older ones.

New KF Prints

Made more Flying Geese with white sky. Then started making some with black background prints for the sky. I use the four-at-a-time method, and they're all pinned to the wall in batches of four.

KF & Batik FG Units

 

I have a few more dark ones to go, then I can start laying them out. 

FG Units & Cut Pieces for More

 

I'll end up with 13 columns by 30 rows of 3x6" geese, for a 78 x 90" top. The plan is for 13 columns, the outside columns and two inner ones dark, and the rest light. The columns will alternate pointing up and down, with the dark ones all pointing down. Easy to mesh seam allowances that way.

Some of my prints are directional. I'll post a quickie tutorial Wednesday on dealing with directional prints using the four-at-a-time method of making flying geese.

After I get these all laid out on the wall, I'll label the columns and rows and pack them up to assemble at quilt camp at the end of July. Since they'll all be organized, it'll just be easy piecing, which is good for at camp. I'm usually too busy having a good time, talking, etc. and I mess up if I have to cut something or think too much about how to assemble something.

Although I've cut over nine yards of fabric for this project, I won't be able to count any of it out for awhile in my stash report, until I get the top sewn. I'm linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times. Check out the other inspiring design walls over there.

This was a lot of sewing, much of it done last week, but over the weekend it was therapeutic for me. We had to put our beloved Bax to sleep Saturday morning. We knew it was coming but that doesn't make it any easier. I retreated to my sewing room and sewed all the rest of the weekend. Bax never went in there, so it was easier to be where he wasn't, in a room where he never was anyway.  RIP, Bax.

Stash report 6/21/15

Lots of fabric in this week, from my guild's event Tuesday and some new purchases. I've been cutting and sewing a lot but nothing is finished to count out yet. I'll tally up the totals at the end of the month.

New prints to use with some other Kaffe Fasset prints I already had; I'll show you this project tomorrow on my design wall.

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.

Bye, Bax

 

 

 

 

1/10/2004 - 6/20/2015

Girl Donation Quilt Finish

The girl colorway is quilted, bound, and finished. Here's an indoor photo of both colorways. These will go to a donation drive for kids' quilts later in the fall.

If it ever stops raining here I'll get a better photo outside. We're still getting residual rainfall from Bill. We've gotten over 6" in a bucket on our deck since last weekend, and more heavy rain and thunderstorms are forecast for today. Another good day to stay in and sew!

Linking up with Friday Finish at Crazy Mom Quilts and Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Girl Quilt WIP

The second of the dot batik donation quilts, the girl colorway, 

is quilted and ready for binding.

Simple wavy quilting across the seams and on the diagonal

using the walking foot and a specialty stitch.

 

Hopefully I'll get it bound and have a finish by Friday!

 

Linking up with Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts and WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.