Many years ago I started a mystery project. It required that I choose three or four fabircs and cut a bunch of squares and half-square triangles without knowing the pattern. Then I started making the project, and I didn't like it. I took apart everything I had sewn so far and put all the cut up pieces and a bit of yardage in a pizza box. The pizza box sat on the shelf for years until earlier this year when I started getting serious about turning this fabric into something usable.
The photo below left is where things started earlier this year. Below right is where the box is now. Really only a few bits and pieces left for the scrap bins.
So, what happened to all those squares and triangles in the Pizza Box?
They were converted to modified flying geese units. I don't know exactly how many, I didn't count them, but were a lot of flying geese with borders along the short ends of the triangle within the unit.
First I assembled randomly placed geese units in vertical rows. Four different fabric combos, two variations of light/dark fabric placement. This lap-sized quilt has a tiny bit of sashing between the vertical rows and a small border both done with a solid blue coordinate.
Next, I decided that I really didn't need the sashing strip between the vertical rows. At first I thought they would provide a little breathing room for bulky seam intersections. But if the rows were all pressed in the same direction as they were constructed, the seam intersections nested just fine. I followed a alternating sequence to arrange the flying geese units into rows. As you see, plenty of flying geese for two quilts.
The second quilt is similar to the first without sashing and borders. I haven't decided if I want to add borders, I may just sandwich and quilt.
And there's more!
Back in May, I found a panel featuring these 8" blocks of stylized birds. Six blocks per panel plus a larger rectangle. I got two panels. I have already set aside the larger rectangle for placemats.
Did I mention that the flying geese units finish to 4x8" - a perfect match to the panel blocks. Four blocks, four flying geese, and four corners (bordered on two side with (almost) matching fabrics to the modified geese = twelve star blocks. . . .
. . . .Or one quilt!
I haven't found the perfect border for this yet. I've tried a few different fabrics. Prints are too printy, and solids are too stark. I may just leave it be, and bind after it's quilted.
That leaves a few more geese, but not enough for a quilt without some modification.
Maybe some horizontal rows. The leftover quantity is odd, and about now, I'm getting a little tired of these geese! So I may just use 'em up with alternating light and dark rows. Maybe complete the short rows with solid fabric.
I think it'll work!
If I can pull off this last bit, I'll be left with one lonely flying geese unit. I'm okay with letting it fly off into the sunset.
Then maybe I can move on to something else from the project shelf and leave the pizza boxes for, I dunno, maybe pizza!
Happy Stitching!
Head Hummingbird
Hummingbird-Highway.com
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