June Island Batik Ambassador Challenge - Fly Away aka Flying Geese!

 Since I first discovered this special zigzagging Flying Geese quilt top years ago, I’ve wanted to figure out how it was made and make my own version. The June Challenge for Island Batik is Fly Away Flying Geese - the perfect excuse to finally figure out this antique top! Note- I’ve studied it many, many times before and always ended up with a headache. I knew discovering how to recreate it would definitely be a Challenge.

We could use any of our precut fabrics and with the red zigzag sashing of the antique, I had to choose this super happy "Make A Wish" Collection. It has cheery balloons and candles. Again perfect for my birthday month of June. And Island Batik had already paired it with a wonderful red batik fabric and sent it along with Make a Wish. It seemed like I was destined to make this quilt!

Just look how good the new fabric looks with the antique quilt (above and below).

I paper pieced or foundation pieced the geese, my favorite construction method. I scaled the blocks down in size (about half size) and choose to make fewer blocks than in the antique original. As I sewed I kept trying to figure out how I was going to set together the blocks. 

Just look how great the blocks look against the red.

It was super challenging!!! But I am proud of myself for persevering and figuring out how to make it work! Many of the sashing seams are regularly sewn but there were quite a few tricky Y seams required to get the blocks set in like in the original quilt. I definitely do not like Y seams but I do have a newfound respect for people who routinely use them and it is pretty amazing what you can create with them. Clearly a skill that everyone should have in their quilting toolbox.

Note: I got the top done and now I need to get to quilting. I'm excited to quilt it with Hobbs Thermore batting which is perfect for wall quilts and use Aurifil Thread and Schmetz needles.

Zigzagging Flying Geese!

36" x 36"

Original Design

Sandra Starley 2023

 Batiks: (Make A Wish Collection)

Backing: Beige (Foundation Basics)

Batting: Hobbs Thermore Poly Batting

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles 

***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, batting by Hobbs, thread by Aurifil, and needles by Schmetz . ***

I took my new quilt out to the barn before doing my chores for a homespun photo shoot. Yes, I do have a horse and do chores. 

 For more inspiration and delight, see all the amazing Flying Feese quilt projects, my fellow 24 Island Batik Ambassadors made in June 

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts
Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts
Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts
Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You
Randi Jones ~ Randi’s Roost

Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs
Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ Quiltery – For The Love Of Geese
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Anorina Morris ~ sameliasmum.com
Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique
Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia
Lana Russel ~ Lana Quilts

Elita Sharpe ~ Busy Needle
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail
Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt