🪿 How to Make Perfect Flying Geese – 4 at a Time

Flying Geese blocks are everywhere in quilting—they’re classic, versatile, and show up in so many patterns (including my own Framed Spring Bloom placemat (which uses 16 of them!). But getting those points just right can be a little tricky, especially when using the no-waste, 4-at-a-time method.

Let’s walk through some helpful tips that have really made a difference for me—and hopefully, they’ll help you too!

Framed Spring Bloom Quilted Placemat – Tap the image to get the pattern!

✨ What Makes a Flying Geese – 4 at a Time Block "Perfect"?

With Flying Geese blocks, there are two critical points you want to get right:

• A ¼” space above the goose peak (the tip of the triangle)

• Even alignment on both upper corners of the block

I used to struggle with getting the corners of my Flying Geese blocks to line up just right

If the space above the peak is too small, you risk chopping off your point when you sew the block into a quilt. If the upper corners are off, your rows won’t line up and things start to look wonky.

🔍 Common Advice—And Why I Do It Differently

A lot of quilters suggest enlarging all the pieces when using the Flying Geese – 4 at a Time method, so you can trim them down afterward. And honestly, it makes sense—extra room sounds like a safer bet, right?

But after trying that approach, I realized it didn’t help as much as I hoped. What really made the difference was how I sew and where I place my fabric.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

🧵 My Favorite Tips for Flying Geese That Turn Out Great

1. Use a ¼” foot with a guide. It's key to getting that perfect ¼” seam away from the drawn line—which directly affects the space at your goose peak.

2. Shift the smaller squares slightly inward. Instead of aligning them exactly on the edges of the large square, move them in just a hair—about 1/16". This small tweak helps your block corners align better and reduces the chance of wonky edges.

   

   
   

3. Focus on seam accuracy—not oversizing. Oversizing sounds great in theory, but it often leads to unnecessary trimming and still doesn’t guarantee better points. Accurate seams matter more than extra fabric! Personally, all that trimming just slows me down and makes the process feel fussier—unless you have a Flying Geese Tool Quilt Ruler  that’s made specifically for trimming these blocks.

Flying Geese Toll Quilt Ruler

Finished Size Example: 1.5" x 3"

(Refer to your preferred size from the chart for cutting dimensions.)

🧵 You’ll Need:

• (1) Large square for the "goose" (e.g. 4¼" x 4¼")

• (4) Small squares for the "sky" (e.g. 2 ⅜” x 2 ⅜”)

• A rotary cutter, ruler, and marking tool👉 "My favorite universal ruler is here."

🪡 Instructions:

1. Mark and Pair:

   • Draw a diagonal line on the back of each small "sky" square.

   • Trim one corner of the square just a bit under ½"—this helps prevent the tip from peeking out at the top point of your Flying Geese.

     
     

     

     
     

   • Place two small squares on opposite corners of the large square, right sides together. Instead of aligning them exactly with the edges, I shift each one slightly inward—about 1/16". This little tweak helps prevent wonky blocks later on.

     
     
     

     
     
     

2. First Stitch:

   • Sew ¼” away from both sides of the drawn line.

   • Cut along the marked line to get two heart-shaped units.

     
     
     

     
     
     

3. Add Remaining Squares:

   • Take one of the heart-shaped units.

   • Place another small square on the remaining corner (right sides together). Don’t forget to shift the smaller squares in just a little bit.

   • Draw a diagonal line. Sew ¼” away from both sides of the drawn line.

   • Cut along the line.

     
     
     

     
     
     

4. Press and Trim:

   • Press open the corners and trim to the size.

   • Trimming: No Flying Geese ruler? No problem! You can use a regular quilting ruler with a 45° line. Here’s how:

     1. Place the 45° line along the diagonal seam where the two "sky" triangles meet.

     2. On the left side, align the raw edge with your finished block size—for example, 2" high.

     3. Make sure there’s ¼” of space above the goose peak to preserve the point.

     4. Trim the right side and the top edge of the block.

     
     
     

     

     I’m using the no-waste method sizing, so there’s just a little bit to trim

   • Next:

     5. Rotate the block.

     6. Line up the 2" and 3½" marks (or whatever your target size is) with the trimmed left and bottom edges.

     7. Trim the right and top sides again.

        

        
        

Trim up all the blocks, and you’ll have 4 perfectly sized Flying Geese ready to go!

Here are the two cutting charts

⬇️⬇️You can also grab my printable size chart here! ⬇️⬇️

Flying geese four at a time.pdf

Download PDF • 647KB

1. No-Waste Method – No-Waste Method – perfect for quilters who feel confident with accurate sewing

Finished Size (H x W)	Large Square (Goose)	Small Squares (Sky), Cut 4
1" x 2"	3¼"	1⅞"
1½" x 3"	4¼"	2⅜"
2" x 4"	5¼"	2⅞"
2½" x 5"	6¼"	3⅜"
3" x 6"	7¼"	3⅞"
3½" x 7"	8¼"	4⅜"
4" x 8"	9¼"	4⅞"
4½" x 9"	10¼"	5⅜"
5" x 10"	11¼"	5⅞"
5½" x 11"	12¼"	6⅜"
6" x 12"	13¼"	6⅞"

2. Enlarged Method – for those who prefer trimming down for accuracy.

   
   

Finished Size (H x W)	Large Square (Goose)	Small Squares (Sky), Cut 4
1" x 2"	3½"	2"
1½" x 3"	4½"	2½"
2" x 4"	5½"	3"
2½" x 5"	6½"	3½"
3" x 6"	7½"	4"
3½" x 7"	8½"	4½"
4" x 8"	9½"	5"
4½" x 9"	10½"	5½"
5" x 10"	11½"	6"
5½" x 11"	12½"	6½"
6" x 12"	13½"	7"

💬 Final Thought

Once you find a rhythm with Flying Geese, they’re actually fun to make. Just remember—it’s not always about trimming more. Sometimes it’s just about shifting things slightly and stitching more precisely.

If this helps you as much as it helped me, let me know! I’d love to see your Flying Geese blocks—drop a photo or tag me on social media! @FabricStacks