When you're making "horrid winged beastie" blocks

[Lowena]

Clickbait, moi?
This is a serious query. When making flying geese blocks, how much of the background fabrics do you cut away?
I keep reading that one should leave the background fabric on place to aid stability. However, I have usually cut away both fabrics as it is less bulky to sew.
What do you do?
Does it matter to the finished quilt?
Thanks peeps......for my sins I'm doing a whole quilt using the bloody things 

[Lowena]

Practice block  [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]  

[Pearl]

I usually cut away both fabrics too, but Alex Anderson (from The Quilt Show) recommends just cutting the middle fabric. 

(If I didn't spend so much time watching others making quilts on YouTube, I might be up to date with something.)

[Ploshkin]

I have done both but i prefer to cut the excess off.  I trim it down to a quarter inch.
As you say, it can get bulky if you don't trim.  Also, if the goose happens to be light with a dark background the dark colour could possibly show through a bit.
Well done for tackling your nemesis.  I like that star block.

[RJR_38]

I always use the make 4 at once method as it is far more accurate for me than single ones - that might be a good option for you with that block? If would certainly speed it up

[wrenkins]

That's how I did mine for the 2020BOM @RJR_38. I found it worked well...but I still hate them. I fnd it hard to get them straight most times. You have the heart of a lion @Lowena! 

[Syrinx]

It depends on the two fabric colours - if one is very light then cut away to 1/4 inch. If not then don't worry too much. I don't usually bother trimming too much because it's a faff. But if the block needs it then I'll trim. Also if you're pressing as you go - press the leftover to the darkside - ma not even have to trim! If you're going to end up with a bulky back then trim. If it doesn't matter then don't bother.

I FPP my spiral geese and couldn't be bothered to trim even with my special FPP trimming rulers so it doesn't matter too much - I was going to have a tonne of SA either way so I saved time by not doing it.

[Lowena]

Thank you girls  The batik star parts are lighter in weight than the background fabric so I think I might revert to cutting away both background triangles., as you haven't told me not to  .
I've done 2 blocks ( 8.5" unfinished ) of a double bed quilt  so I certainly am facing my nemesis You never know...I might one day get to like the b****rs!

[Iminei]

As I have said time and again in my tuts ...

If you cut a perfect (for the sake of example) 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangle
Add you squares, sew on the diagonal, press back on themselves and trim JUST the MIDDLE layer of fabric ...

If your wings are slightly off, for what ever reason, you always have your perfect 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangle to trim to and sew to ....

Flying Geese Tutorial

[Lowena]

Yes professor  thanks for that. :thinking:
It's not the accuracy, it's the bulk

[BrendaP]

I usually take the easy option and put a seam down the middle of the goose!  That way it's just two pairs of HSTs.

[BrendaP]

@Lowena  Looking closely at your practice block I can see that you had trouble with the top and bottom geese but not the geese on either side.  And looking even closer do I detect that the squares in the centre aren't exactly square, but rectanglular. 

If I am right then either your problem is with the accuracy of cutting and/or seam allowances, or if it's meant to be a rectangle then it's a maths problem and teh two sets of geese need to be cut differently.

[Lowena]

I might go back to the 2xhsts @BrendaP ....and just have one big square in the middle  ....  Or would that be bad ?

[wrenkins]

Quilt pleece are locked up. 
Go for it @Lowena! It'll give exactly the same effect as it's all the same fabric and be a whole lot easier.

[Lowena]

Get there behind me