Space Cadet Block 2: Flying Geese Tutorial

Our second Space Cadet block is most commonly known as Evening Star or Sawtooth Star.

It has simple squares in the center and corners and Flying Geese units at the sides.

So, let’s start this block by making Flying Geese units using the really easy method I learned from my mother. This method always yields 4 flying geese units at a time. Which is exactly how many we need for one star – very convenient!

Make Flying Geese units:

1. Cutting:

Cut one 5.25″ x 5.25″ square from your background fabric. This will be used to make the goose bodies, i.e. the large center triangles of the Flying Geese units.

Cut a strip 2.875″ x 11.5″ from your main star fabric. Cut this strip into 4 squares of 2.875″ x 2.875″ (.875 = 7/8). These squares will become the wings of the geese, i.e. the small side triangles of the Flying Geese units.

2. Draw a diagonal line across the back of your  4 wing squares as pictured on the left.

OR: If you have that little ruler pictured on the right, then use that instead to draw the lines by lining up it’s center marking with the diagonal across the wing squares.

3. Take two of the marked wing squares and lay them on your 5.25″ background square right sides together. The small squares should line up with opposite corners of the large square, and the marking lines on the small squares should line up, too. You can see what it should look like below.

The left picture shows the markings without the special ruler, the right picture shows the ruler version (you should have either one or the other, not both).

4. Finally, it’s sewing time! Sew down on the right side and then on the left side of your diagonal line using a 1/4″ seam allowance. OR, if you used the ruler sew right on the lines. The results is the same: 2 seams 1/4″ to the right and to the left of the center diagonal.

5. Cut through the center diagonal, i.e. between the two  seams you just sewed, and press open the seams.

Look, we’ve made hearts! But we want geese, so let’s continue.

6. Take the remaining 2 wing squares and place them onto the heart shapes, right sides facing each other. The wing square should line up with the background square where it forms the bottom of the heart. Like so:

7. Again, sew 1/4″ to the right and to the left of the center diagonal you marked on the wing squares.

And this is what you’ll get. Can you see where we are headed?

8. Again, cut through the center, between the two seams you just sewn.

9. Press open the seam and trim the little V-shaped dog ears.

You should now have 4 Flying Geese units measuring 4.5″ x 2.5″, i.e. 4″ x 2″ finished size plus seam allowances.

Isn’t this a super easy way to make Flying Geese? You can easily adapt this method to any size Flying Geese you might need, too.

To do so, you just need to know what size you want your finished geese to be (“finished” means without the seam allowances).

For the large “body” triangle, take the width of the finished Flying Geese unit you want to make. Add 1.25″ to this number and cut one square of that size.

For the “wing” triangles, take the height of the finished Flying Geese unit and add 7/8″ to that number. Cut 4 squares of that size to combine with your one large body square. Going through steps 2 to 9, you’ll have 4 Flying Geese units.

In our example we needed the Flying Geese to measure 4″ x 2″ finished. So we cut:

4″ + 1.25″ = 5.25″ (background fabric) once and:

2″ + 7/8″ = 2 7/8″ (star fabric): 4 times.

Now, let’s finish the star block:

1. From your star fabric cut a square 4.5″ x 4.5″.

From your background fabric cut a strip 2.5″ x 10″. Cut this strip into 4 squares measuring 2.5″ each.

2. Lay out your block.

3. Sew the block in rows of three units. Press the seam allowances towards the outside of the block on the top and bottom row, towards the center in the middle row.

4. Join the rows, and admire your handiwork!