Making Flying Geese

Before I left for Paris, I made more progress on The Freebie.  With the nine-patch blocks finished, it was time to turn to the flying geese units that form the border. 

I have 100 of the 144 required flying geese units done.  I could not have acomplished this number so easily without my Fit to be Geese ruler from Open Gate Quilts.  Lots of quilters have blogged about this ruler; just add me to the list of adoring fans. 

Using this ruler, you make your flying geese units a little bit larger than called for in the pattern, then trim them down.  I don't like the trimming part of the exercise any better than you do, but this technique results in true to size, squared up flying geese, rather than wonky, a little bit too small here, a bit too big there flying geese.  So when making a quantity, it is well worth it.