Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
Last year (???) or maybe the year before I did a Flying Geese exchange with TFQ. I know you have seen the design I am considering. I have been thinking about the Flying Geese themselves.
I wanted to look at them all together. The photo of the ones I have previously posted are above. What do you think?
I took a photo of the last few Flying Geese I made before I went on vacation.
This is a cheerful bunch and I am pleased with them.
My next step is to make a block, per my design, and see if it works. The Round and Round pattern is a genius way to use the Friendship Star and I really like the pattern. Combining it with the Flying Geese will be an interesting challenge.
I made some more Flying Geese after a long hiatus. There are a few more I plan to make, but I am nearing the end of the process.
These are really cheerful and I like them a lot. I have also used some of the fabrics in projects I like, which makes me smile.
I am more excited about Flying Geese now that I may have a plan. Shown are the latest group.
Lots of green this time and not all mine!
I was thinking about the design for the Flying Geese I have been getting and making for the Flying Geese swap with TFQ. We have been sending each other photos of interesting Flying Geese quilt designs.
The other day I was at In Between Stitches and I saw a version of Camille Roskelley’s Round and Round pattern. I really like the way she combined a bunch of small Friendship Stars into something fantastic. Seeing this quilt and thinking about the Flying Geese gave me an idea. Driving home from the North Coast, I sketched out an idea.
The image left is about the third draft of my design. It isn’t quite the way I want it and there are no sizes involved. Still, the Flying Geese portion is pretty much the way I want it.
I don’t want the Friendship Star blocks to be lined up the way they are in the picture above. Draft n.2 is much more asymmetrical than the picture above and more the way I would want the whole quilt.
What I don’t know yet is:
Even though I have not decided to make the Flying Geese quilt, I like this idea. I get to use the Round and Round block and the Flying Geese are not lined up. For some reason that appeals to me.
I have been making and receiving Flying Geese all along. I finally decided to do an update as the group was getting kind of large and was taking up space on my design wall. Also, the last update I did was on November 14 and that seems like a long time ago.
If I did the math correctly (50 weeks x 4 geese each week), I have at least 200 right now. It doesn’t seem like enough, though. I think I must have more. I am kind of amazed at how easy it is to make these blocks and to have them add up in number. I really want to sew up all the patches I have cut. I am trying to restrain myself.
Some of these TFQ won’t recognize, because I haven’t send them off yet. They were part of the Wacky Weekend Work I did. Flying Geese make good leaders and enders.
I have another batch of Flying Geese blocks to show. In light of my post on inspiration for this project, I also spent some time on Pinterest looking at Flying Geese quilts. I finally feel ready to start thinking about a layout. I am not sure I want to sew a quilt, but looking at designs is finally fun.
This group of blocks looks much more Autumn-ish than previous groups.
TFQ recently sent me a link to block that I really like made from Flying Geese. It was on the Moda Instagram feed and I can’t tell if it is a historic block or if the maker added another FG to a Dutchman’s Puzzle block.
We have been doing the Flying Geese Exchange, which I highly recommend, BTW, and I have started to look around for interesting design in which to use the Flying Geese. I have begun to start thinking about something interesting to do with the blocks. TFQ is clearly on the same page.
The blocks above are from the Moda Instagram feed. I have always liked the Dutchman’s Puzzle block and actually made one for my first Sampler quilt. This block puts a little twist on the idea, but it might be just enough to keep me interested.
Mary Fons posted a link to a block she made, which I originally thought would be great for our Flying Geese. After looking at it again, I don’t think it will work. I still like it, but there is an extra color that exaggerates the motion in the block. Our Flying Geese do not have that extra color. Of course, we could still put the block together, but we would miss out on the motion.
Love of Patchwork and Quilting had a block made from Flying Geese (Issue 24, Darling Dorothy) that is mildly appealing. I don’t think it will work for me for a whole quilt.
So you can see where my head is with these Flying Geese. Any ideas? Any interesting ideas?
TFQ and I are still working on the Flying Geese exchange. We will through the end of the year, at least. I think for both of us this swap is keeping our heads in or keeping us on track.
It is nice to have something to do every week.
The FGs shown in this post are a combination of my contributions and TFQs. I think they go really well together. This group is very bright and cheerful.
I am not sure what I want to do with them. I have been looking at different layouts for all of these FGs and haven’t found one that I like yet. It is early yet.
I sometimes make a batch of Flying Geese at once or over the course of a few days. I like to have them available in case my schedule gets crazy and I don’t have time to make some for my weekly swap. I don’t like to show them until I have sent most of them to TFQ, lest she not be surprised at my fabric choices. I also like to show the ones she has sent me. Together hers and mine look super fun.
I wanted the batch off the design wall so I could put up the T donation quilt, so I took a photo and here they are. Aren’t they fun?
I am still thinking of trying out some different rulers for making these geese, but I haven’t done it yet. Stay tuned.
This is such a fun exchange! I am really enjoying it. Find a friend and do one, too.
I have received more Flying Geese and I have made a few more as well. My last update was May 23 and this group doesn’t seem like enough, but it has to be. I am pretty sure I am not behind.
My geese have been a tough group to make. I am having problems with the measurements on the rulers I am using. I don’t know why the directions say to make the small squares one size and then the geese cannot be trimmed to the proper size. I was in a panic and a rush, so I sent them to TFQ anyway. I know she can handle the smaller seam allowance and I will make a few extras down the road.
Still, I am annoyed at the measurements.
Yes, I am cutting the squares larger now, but I have a whole bunch of squares that are just slightly too small. It is very irritating.
Before I revamped my design wall, I reorganized the Flying Geese from my exchange with TFQ and took a good picture of them.
Yes, the mistakes are still in there, but they won’t be on the front of the finished piece.
It is kind of fun to see how bright and cheerful they are. Even the grey does not make the group look depressing.
Looking at them this way makes me see all the red and pinky-red I, especially, have used. I think I need to work with some cool colors for awhile.
Looking at them also made me want to sew them together instantly. I don’t have enough to make anything (and I had no time), so I refrained. Still, I think the end product will be one I enjoy when I do sew them together, whenever that is.
I thought I would write much more about the Flying Geese swap than I actually have. The last time I posted was back in January. My lack of reporting is not an indication of lack of interest.
This is a great exchange and I am really enjoying it. First, the FGs are easy to make. Next, they have a good impact. Third, there is a lot of bang for my buck. I take 5 squares and come up with 4 Flying Geese. Also, they are like potato chips. I can’t make just one set at a time. Once I get started, I want to make bunches of them. Finally, though I am sure there are other positives, all the colors I try work well.
So, the photo at right is the sum total of the Flying Geese I have made and received until last week. Not, it’s not a great picture, but, as you saw on my last Design Wall Monday, my design wall is backed to the gills and there is no space. I’ll get a better picture at some point, but for now you’ll have to be happy with this one.
Aren’t they pretty and happy?
TFQ already talked about our Flying Geese exchange on her blog. Still, I am going to talk about it here. Over the course of the year, probably ad nauseum. Still, it is my blog.
I like doing projects with TFQ. The last one we did together was the Star Sampler. She is waiting to finish hers, but mine is done.
As you might remember, we started off, after PIQF, exchanging the PIQF Cross blocks. TFQ admitted to sincerely disliking those blocks before I did, but I really did not like them very much. When we finally got on the same page, TFQ suggested Flying Geese patches and I thought that was a good idea.
We decided to use the same color selections: light, bright grey, which was good. I already had a selection out to use. I have since picked out a few others.
First off: I started off making the Flying Geese wrong. That is why you see some of the geese have been made into chevrons. I just have them on my design wall arranged like that for kicks. I can’t see making more of the Flying Geese the wrong way. I don’t suppose you ever really know.
That meant that I had to start over, recutting, readjusting my brain and sewing more to catch up.
Next, I got reacquainted with the Deb Tucker Flying Geese ruler. I have also used other rulers such as the Creative Grids Flying Geese ruler. This time I am using the Deb Tucker Flying Geese ruler. Once I figured out what size to cut each square, then I churned out several geese. The Deb Tucker Flying Geese ruler makes 4 at a time, which is one reason I like it.
Aside from actually mailing off the patches, which I keep forgetting, I am doing pretty well making them. This is a much better project. I am already thinking about what I will do the mounds of Flying Geese I am going to have. I do have ideas, especially for these, which are gorgeous!