Our next block uses Flying Geese units and finishes at 12″ (12 1/2″ unfinished). The Dutchman’s Puzzle block (which I incorrectly referred to as the Flying Dutchman in the Skill Builder post) is sort of a pinwheel within a pinwheel. Color placement can create all sorts of different looks, but for this block we’ll use two block fabrics and the background. If you’re following the white and bright layout, it’s red and aqua.

As before, the Skill Builder posts provide detailed instructions to create 12 1/2″ Dutchman’s Puzzle blocks, so choose your favorite flying geese method and make eight flying geese, four each in two fabrics. The flying geese will finish at 6″ wide and 3″ high (6 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ unfinished).

Skill Builder Series: Part 8A – Flying Geese

Skill Builder Series: Part 8B – Flying Geese

Method 1: Large and Small Squares

Skill Builder Series: Part 8B – Flying Geese
This is my favorite method for creating flying geese. It doesn’t waste fabric and you sew before cutting so bias edges aren’t an issue.

Cut (8) 4″ squares of background fabric
Cut (1) 7 1/2″ squares of one block fabric
Cut (1) 7 1/2″ squares of another block fabric

Method 2: Traditional

Skill Builder Series: Part 8A – Flying Geese
Although this is the traditional method for assembling flying geese, it can be tricky, especially since you’ll be working with bias edges. I made 120 flying geese using the traditional method for my first (outside of class) quilt, and I don’t want to do it again. Still, if you’d like to try it, you need:

Eight 4″ background squares, cut diagonally once
One 7 1/2″ square of one block fabric, cut diagonally both ways
One 7 1/2″ square of another block fabric, cut diagonally both ways

Method 3: Rectangle and Squares

Skill Builder Series: Part 8A – Flying Geese
This method is best if you’d like to create some extra HSTs or don’t mind wasting a little fabric. If you haven’t made your pinwheels yet, you could use the extra HSTs from this block to create some of them.

Cut (4) 6 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ rectangles of one block fabric
Cut (4) 6 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ rectangles of another block fabric
Cut (8) 3 1/2″ squares of background fabric

Method 4: Dimensional (One Seam)

Skill Builder Series: Part 8A – Flying Geese
This is a fun method for creating flying geese, but it adds a lot of bulk at the center and you will have flaps of fabric that you need to either sew down or be careful not to catch in the presser foot when you quilt it.

Cut (8) 3 1/2″ squares of background fabric
Cut (4) 6 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ rectangles of one block fabric
Cut (4) 6 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ rectangles of another block fabric

Assembling the Block

Once you’ve created eight flying geese units (four in each fabric), you need to put them together into the block. This post explains the details of creating a Dutchman’s Puzzle block.