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Sawtooth Starshine Tutorial #4: 4-at-a-time Flying Geese Blocks

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I have become a huge fan of making Flying Geese using the 4-at-a-time method! When you start, it’s hard to imagine the steps resulting in Flying Geese blocks, but it really works and its so fun!

This is the only Flying Geese method I ever use, and you will see it in my Sawtooth Starshine Quilt Pattern along with many of my other patterns and quilt patterns in general. I have even created Flying Geese Block Rulers to help you with the tricky trimming at the end of making them.

If you’ve been following along with my tutorial series, you should have already planned your fabric, cut your fabric, and created your half-square triangles. If you need to get caught up, click the links below!

Sawtooth Starshine Tutorial #1: Fabric Planning

Sawtooth Starshine Tutorial #2: Cutting

Sawtooth Starshine Tutorial #3: Half-Square Triangles

Purchase the Sawtooth Starshine Pattern to make your own.

READ TO THE END TO SEE MY EXCLUSIVE TIPS to help you make Flying Geese blocks quickly and easily!

4-at-a-time Flying Geese Block

  1. You should have your pieces cut according the the pattern. Lay 2 of the smaller squares on opposite corners of the larger square. I like to pin in place on one side at this point.
Fabric squares arranged for making Flying Geese blocks, featuring two orange squares and two cream-colored squares on a cutting mat.
A quilt block layout featuring two smaller squares in cream color on opposite corners of a larger brown square, pinned in place.

2. Use a ruler to mark a line from corner to corner. I like using water soluble fabric pens like these. I like to pin the other side after I mark the line.

A close-up of a hand holding a sewing tool over a quilt block, with a ruler and fabric pieces laid out on a cutting mat.
A fabric square with two smaller squares pinned at opposite corners, set on a cutting mat with a grid pattern and a ruler.
A top view of a fabric layout with a larger square and two smaller squares pinned on opposite corners, marked with a pencil line for sewing, set against a grid cutting mat.

3. Sew a 1/4″ seam on both sides of the line.

Close-up view of a sewing machine with a partially assembled Flying Geese block, featuring pinned fabric pieces in orange and cream with a marked sewing line.
A sewing machine with fabric layers and pinned squares, showing a marked line for stitching Flying Geese blocks.

4. Cut on the line using a ruler and rotary cutter.

Close-up of a rotary cutter, ruler, and fabric pieces set for trimming Flying Geese quilt blocks on a cutting mat.
Two completed Flying Geese quilt blocks laid on a cutting mat with grid markings.

5. Press seams open. I like to open the seam and then press again on the front to get the seams as flat as possible.

An iron pressing down on two sewn fabric triangles in orange and white, with a grey pressing surface underneath.

6. Now you have 2 units that look like this:

Two completed Flying Geese quilt blocks in orange and light beige fabric, placed on a grid cutting mat.

7. Place one small square on each of these units. Mark a line from corner to corner on the small squares.

A quilting workspace featuring two assembled Flying Geese blocks, a rotary ruler placed diagonally over one block, and a fabric marking pen on a grid cutting mat.
Two Flying Geese quilt blocks arranged on a cutting mat with grid lines, featuring a light tan fabric and a dark orange fabric.

8. Pin in place and sew a 1/4″ seam on both sides of the line.

Two Flying Geese quilt blocks pinned together with markings, laid out on a cutting mat.
Two completed Flying Geese quilt blocks featuring cream and brown fabric, laying on a cutting mat with a grid pattern.

9. Cut on the lines.

A rotary cutter and a sewing ruler are positioned on a cutting mat, surrounded by fabric triangles, as part of a quilting tutorial for making Flying Geese blocks.
Four completed Flying Geese quilt blocks arranged on a cutting mat with a grid pattern.

10. Press seams open.

An iron is used to press down on fabric pieces arranged to create a Flying Geese quilt block on a gray mat.
A person using a purple iron to press an orange and white fabric piece, placed on a gray surface.

11. You have 4 Flying Geese! You’re almost there!

Four Flying Geese quilt blocks arranged in a row, featuring white and orange fabric, placed on a gray fabric surface.

12. Lastly, you need to trim these blocks so that they are ready to fit into your quilt blocks perfectly. I am going to show you how to use the trimming rulers I have created and sell on my website (click the link to get your own!), but if you are using a regular ruler you can check out my blog post on trimming FG.

Select the trimming ruler size according to the pattern. Every pattern that includes FG will tell you the trimming size. My rulers also list the “finished size” which tells you the size they will be when then are sewn into a block using a 1/4″ seam on all 4 sides.

A person holds a transparent yellow Flying Geese ruler over a quilt block featuring triangles of brown and cream fabric, with a cutting mat and grid lines visible underneath.

13. Line up the seams with the triangle on the ruler. This will ensure that you have a proper 1/4″ seam allowance without loosing the point at the top of the triangle.

A vibrant yellow Flying Geese ruler with marked trim and finished sizes displayed on a cutting mat with grid lines.

14. Use a rotary cutter to trim the excess fabric away from the FG.

A Flying Geese ruler placed on a cutting mat alongside a rotary cutter and small fabric strips.
A hand holds a green Flying Geese ruler over a partially assembled Flying Geese quilt block made of fabric pieces. The work surface is marked with a grid pattern.

15. Repeat for all FG!

ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR MAKING FLYING GEESE BLOCKS:

When a pattern calls for making LOTS of FG, I like to get them done as quickly as possible, yet still making sure they are as perfect as possible.

** Mark lines on all small squares before hand. This way you can place, pin, and go!

A stack of fabric squares with marked lines for sewing, a rotary cutter, and a cutting mat in the background.

** Chain piece all seams and make all the FG at the same time. This means, do not cut your thread between seams, just keep going on the next FG unit! They will all be connected or “chained” after sewing them.

Fabric pieces arranged for Flying Geese block construction on a cutting mat, featuring pink and yellow squares.

** Use ruler sticky grips. This will prevent your ruler from sliding around on your fabric.

A bright green Flying Geese ruler on a cutting mat, accompanied by a sheet of sticky grips for ruler stability.
Close-up of a bright yellow Flying Geese ruler placed on a gridded cutting mat, illustrating its markings and hold points.

** Use a rotating cutting mat. (I couldn’t find the one I have on Amazon, so I linked a similar one.) This way you can leave the ruler on the FG block and rotate the cutting mat to trim the last 2 sides. I always do the right and top sides because I am right handed and then rotate to trim the right and top again.

A Flying Geese ruler placed on a cutting mat with half-square triangle fabric pieces, a rotary cutter beside it.
A hand holding a yellow Flying Geese ruler on a cutting mat, surrounded by various fabric pieces for quilting.
A Flying Geese trimming ruler on a cutting mat, surrounded by half-finished Flying Geese quilt blocks in various colors and a rotary cutter.
A cutting mat with a ruler and recently sewn Flying Geese quilt blocks laid out, emphasizing quilting tools and projects.

Happy Sewing! Next we will be putting the quilt blocks together, my favorite part!!

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