A goose is twice as wide as it is tall, and two methods build it: stitch-and-flip (one rectangle, two squares, simple) and no-waste (one large square, four small, four geese at once). Enter the finished size; both cutting lists follow.
Your Geese
Method
Cut
5 ¼″large square
each makes 4 geese at 4 × 2 in
Two small squares on the large, corner to corner; ¼″ each side of the line; cut, press, repeat with the last two squares: four geese per batch, nothing wasted.
- Large squares (4 + 1¼)6 × 5 ¼″
- Small squares (2 + ⅞)24 × 2 ⅞″
- Geese that makes24
The Formulas
No-Waste, Four at a Time
1 large square = finished width + 1¼ · 4 small squares = finished height + ⅞Stitch and Flip
rectangle = (width + ½) × (height + ½) · 2 squares = height + ½No-waste earns its name: nothing is trimmed away, and one large square with its four companions yields four identical geese. Stitch-and-flip cuts simpler shapes and sews faster per goose, paying for it with the flipped-away corner triangles: bonus HSTs if you sew a second seam before trimming.
Worked Example
Twenty-four geese at 4 × 2 in finished, no-waste:
- Each batch of 4: one large square at 4 + 1¼ = 5¼, four small at 2 + ⅞ = 2⅞.
- 24 geese ÷ 4 = 6 batches: six 5¼ squares and twenty-four 2⅞ squares.
- Stitch-and-flip instead: twenty-four 4½ × 2½ rectangles and forty-eight 2½ squares, and 48 bonus HST corners if you double-seam.
Cut Chart, No-Waste Method
| Finished goose | Large square (makes 4) | 4 small squares | Stitch-flip rectangle | Stitch-flip squares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 × 1″ | 3 ¼″ | 1 ⅞″ | 2 ½ × 1 ½″ | 1 ½″ |
| 3 × 1.5″ | 4 ¼″ | 2 ⅜″ | 3 ½ × 2″ | 2″ |
| 4 × 2″ | 5 ¼″ | 2 ⅞″ | 4 ½ × 2 ½″ | 2 ½″ |
| 5 × 2.5″ | 6 ¼″ | 3 ⅜″ | 5 ½ × 3″ | 3″ |
| 6 × 3″ | 7 ¼″ | 3 ⅞″ | 6 ½ × 3 ½″ | 3 ½″ |
Working Each Method
- No-waste: two small squares on the large one, corner to corner; sew ¼ in each side of the line; cut apart; press; add the remaining squares to the notches; repeat. Four geese, no trimming.
- Stitch-and-flip: square on each end of the rectangle, sew the diagonal, flip, press, trim behind. Mark the diagonals or press a crease: guessing drifts.
- Oversize option: add ⅛ to every cut and trim the sewn geese; points survive beginners and slippery fabrics alike.
Assumptions and Defaults
- Geese are the standard 2:1, width twice height. Enter the width; the height follows.
- Cuts land on ruler eighths already; no rounding needed at standard sizes.
- Fabric: large squares come from the “goose” (center triangle) fabric, small squares from the “sky.”
Flying Geese Questions, Answered
What size do I cut for flying geese?
For the no-waste method, cut one square at the finished width + 1¼ in and four squares at the finished height + ⅞ in to make four geese. For stitch-and-flip, cut a rectangle at the finished size + ½ in each way and two squares at the height + ½ in to make one goose; the chart lists the common sizes.
Which flying geese method should I use?
The no-waste method suits quantity, giving four identical geese per batch with no trimming and less fabric. Stitch-and-flip, by contrast, suits a small number of geese, sky fabric with a direction that must stay upright, or times when you want the bonus HSTs from the corners.
Why do my flying geese points disappear?
Flying geese points disappear when the next seam crosses them, so each point must be exactly ¼ in from the raw edge. Check that every unit measures the finished size + ½ in both ways before you join it, or cut oversize and trim to that measurement.
How many flying geese do I need for a border?
A flying geese border needs the border length ÷ the finished goose width, with the geese set nose to tail, so a 60 in border of 4 in geese takes 15. For the corners, a plain square or a pinwheel of four geese finishes the turn neatly.