No-waste Flying Geese

I have made flying geese units by flip and sew, and by Marti Michell's method using her templates and both require sewing along a bias edge, and cutting off triangles (wasting fabric). Then I found this in a McCall's tutorial. 

The no-waste Flying Geese

1

Step 1

You need one large square and four small squares in a contrasting colour.

Sorry, here comes the Maths ...

Calculate the sizes of the squares according to this formula:

large square (geese): length of finished unit + 1 1/4"

small squares (sky) : width of finished unit + 7/8"

Example: to make 4 identical flying geese with these measurements:

Length of finished unit: 3"

Width of finished unit: 1 1/2"  

you will need:

1 Large square (geese)  3 + 1 1/4" = 4 1/4"

4 Small squares (sky)  1 1/2 + 7/8"= 2 1/4"

**  If you'd prefer metric, click here for Vireya's metric maths.  **

2

Step 2

Draw a diagonal on the back of all the small squares

3

Step 3

Pin 2 of the small squares, right sides together, onto the large square, as show in the photo. Make sure that the two diagonal lines form a continuous line and that the corners of the squares are aligned precisely

4a

4b

Step 4

Sew 1/4 " on each side of the line.

5

Step 5 

Cut along the drawn line.

6

Step 6

Fold the small triangles back and press.

7

Step 7

Pin the remaining small squares to each of the units, as shown in the photo.

8

Step 8

Sew each side of the drawn line, as at step 4. The two units can be chained pieced.

Cut along the drawn lines, as at step 5

Step 9

Fold back the small triangles, press and cut off the dog ears.

9

Voilà. Four flying geese units

and a tiny pile of dog ears.



Linking up to Sew Many Ways: Sew Darn Crafty Linky Party.

Happy Sewing

Marly.

My Design Wall

This was my design wall first thing this morning.

Nothing has changed over the past week

I've had a few comments on my design wall itself the last few weeks, not just on what's on it, so I decided to show how I made it. I don't have the space in my apartment for a proper design wall so I had to be inventive. 

So here it is. Nothing could be easier.




First buy a simple fleece at the supermarket or household store. Mine is plain white and cost €3.00 (less than USD 5.00 I think) A dark colour would also work but keep it simple.

Then buy an adjustable curtain rail at IKEA. I chose the system where the "curtain" would hang closest to the "window".

Stretch the fleece out on the floor and adjust the length of the rail to match, plus a little extra for the brackets and a few inches to the outside of the brackets.

Keep two curtain rings apart from the rest.

Put the remaining curtain rings with pegs on the rail.

Fix the brackets to the wall (preferably straight) the width of the fleece apart.

Hang the rail  and put the two rings you put aside to the outside of the brackets - this way you can keep the fleece taut. 

Hang the fleece.

And Bob's your uncle and you can start designing.



Advantages of this wall:

Easy to store in a small space when not in use. Just unclip one end peg and you can "open" your "curtain".

Easy to replace by a dark background if necessary - just unclip the pegs and hang a new fleece.

Cheap: the whole thing cost less than €10.00.



Disadvantages:

It is hanging free of the wall, so moves and can loose its load - care is needed
It measures only 1.8m. x 1.2m. 


For me the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. When my grandchildren come to stay, they sleep in this room. I have to clear my sewing things away anyway and a fixed board would be a problem. Anything rigid is out of the question, as it is my cutting mat has to be stowed behind my shoes in the bottom of the wardrobe. Now I just push the fleece aside and push my sewing machine cabinet into the same corner.

I'm linking up to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday and to Sew Many Ways for the March theme link up.

Happy designing

Marly.