No waste fast flying geese quilt block method

This week we’ve been using the Performance 5.2 to create a quilted table runner in time for Thanksgiving. In yesterday’s post we pieced the top blocks for a fork and spoon using the Shoo Fly and Star quilt blocks. Today we’ll add a knife to our utensil set and assemble the table runner top.

Once again we’ll rely on the precise piecing features of PFAFF’s Performance 5.2 to help us get some pretty tiny points perfect on the flying geese inside the knife block.

Knife Section

To make two knife sections units you will need:

from background fabric
2 strips – 2½” x 6½”
2 – 3″ squares
2 – 2″ squares

from utensil fabric
2 – 3″ squares
2 – 2″ squares
2 – 1½” squares
8 – 1⅞” squares

from geese fabric
2 – 3¼” squares

I’m going to use the no-waste, fast flying geese method for these blocks. I always get confused when picking out my fabric which one is the geese and which the background; the geese are the big triangle in the middle of the block, so in this case, the 3¼” squares.

1. Make Fast Flying Geese

I like to use this no waste method of creating Flying Geese blocks when I have several I need for one block. These geese will finish quite tiny at 1½” x 2½” so every step is important. Cut your pieces as precisely as possible and trust the features of the Performance 5.2 to deliver precise piecing. Let’s get started!

You’ll need 1 – 3¼” geese fabric square and 4 – 1⅞” utensil fabric squares to make one set of four geese. We’ll be making two sets in total;)

On the back of each utensil fabric square, draw one diagonal line.
Place two of the squares, right side down, in opposite corners of a right side up geese fabric square – the drawn diagonal lines should go from top left to bottom right corner – the squares WILL overlap in the middle.

Sew ¼” away on each side of the drawn line – this is where the needle down feature, the straight stitch needle plate and IDT System help you make precise geese.

Cut on the drawn line and press the seams to the utensil fabric triangles.

On one new unit, right side up, place a utensil fabric square right side down lined up with the bottom right corner of the geese side of the unit with the diagonal line going to the corner – the corner of the square will sit between the two triangle pieces.

Sew ¼” away from each side of the drawn line.
Cut on the line and press the seam to the just added utensil fabric triangle.

Trim the unit to 1½” x 2½” – START TRIMMING at the open geese end of the unit (not the triangle tip!)

Repeat adding the remaining utensil fabric square to the second unit to create a total of 4 – 1½” x 2½” Flying Geese units.

Make a second set of fast-flying geese using the second 3¼” geese fabric square and the remaining 4 – 1⅞” utensil fabric squares.

2. Make HST units

For the knife section there’re two different size HST units to make.

Use the 3″ background square and 3″ utensil fabric square to make 2 – 2½” HSTs.
Use the 2″ background square and 2″ utensil fabric square to make 2 – 1½” HSTs.

Draw a diagonal line on the back of each background square.
Pair with same size utensil fabric square, right sides together.
Sew ¼” away from each side of the drawn lines.
Cut on the lines and press the seams to the background fabric.
Trim each set to the correct sizes.

3. Assemble the knife sections

Use the photo and layout the section pieces for assembly.

Sew the 2½” HST to the first geese unit, and the middle two geese units together.
Sew the 1½” HST to the 1½” utensil square; press the seam to the square.
Sew the top unit of HST and geese to the middle geese unit. Add the bottom HST and square unit.

This section needs to measure 6½” in height. I pressed the top HST seam to the first geese unit, then pressed the remaining geese unit seams to the bottom. The final seam between the HST and square unit and the last geese unit I pressed open.

If this fancy pressing still doesn’t get your height to 6½”, then trim from the bottom HST and square unit to get the correct length. One of my sections I needed to trim, the other I didn’t.

Repeat steps to make a second knife geese section.

Join a background strip to the left side of each section, pressing the seams to the background strips.

The completed knife sections should each measure 4½” x 6½”.

Assemble the Utensil Units

Sew the fork section to the knife section with the knife section on the right; press the seam to the background.
Sew the spoon to the right of the fork/knife unit: press the seam to the background.

Sew the Utensil top unit to a handle unit, pinning if necessary to make sure the handles line up at the base of the utensils where the two sections meet.
Press the seam to the handle unit.

Repeat with the second group of utensil sections to make a second utensil block.

The utensil blocks should each measure 15½” x 12½”.

Assemble the Runner

Sew a utensil block to each long edge of the platter section along the utensil top edge. Press the seam to the platter block.

The runner will measure 15½” x 36½”.

Layer the runner top right side up, batting and backing right side down. Pin to secure layers together for quilting.

The PFAFF Performance 5.2 showed off its precision piecing features while assembling the quilted table runner. The knife section has perfect little Flying Geese units and the runner is ready to be quilted. I can’t wait to show you the quilting in the next post!