No-waste cutting sizes for flying geese units.
No-waste method yields 4 geese from one large + four small squares.
Flying geese are rectangles with a triangle in the middle, twice as wide as they are tall. The no waste method makes four at a time from one large square and four smaller squares, without cutting off triangles. The large square is cut about one and a quarter inches larger than the finished width, and the small squares about seven eighths of an inch larger than the finished height.
For finished geese that are 2 inches by 4 inches, cut one square at 5.25 inches and four squares at 2.875 inches. Place two small squares on opposite corners of the large square, sew a quarter inch on both sides of the diagonal, cut apart, press, then repeat with the other two squares.
The units come out slightly oversized so that they can be trimmed to the exact size, which gives sharp points. Use a ruler with a diagonal line and trim carefully, leaving a quarter inch of seam allowance beyond each point.
Press the seams toward the triangle or away from it as your pattern shows, and test one set before you cut the rest of your fabric. Using a thinner thread and a consistent seam also helps the points match when the blocks are joined.