Quilt Flying Geese Calculator: No-Waste Flying Geese Cut Sizes

Work out flying geese cut sizes before you cut. Enter finished flying geese width, finished flying geese height and flying geese needed, and see large square cut size, small square cut size, sets needed and geese made, with the formula in steps.

Calculate your flying geese cut sizes

Finished flying geese width in

Finished flying geese height

Finished flying geese height is the height of one flying geese block in the finished quilt, after seams are sewn. For standard flying geese, finished height equals finished width divided by 2.

Flying geese needed

Flying geese needed is a whole number, greater than zero. Count flying geese by fabric pair, not by quilt, if different fabric pairs use different finished sizes.

This calculator uses the no waste method only. Finished width must be twice finished height, and each set makes 4 flying geese.

This calculator uses the no-waste method only. One large square and four small squares make 4 flying geese. For other flying geese methods, use the HST Calculator for half-square triangles, or the Fabric Calculator for fabric yardage.

Your result

Enter your measurements, then calculate.

How the calculator works

Step 1: Large square cut size

Large square cut size equals finished flying geese width plus 1 and 1/4 inches, which is 1.25 inches, for the no-waste method. The extra 1.25 inches covers seam allowances and trimming to finished size. For finished width 4 inches, large square cut size equals 4 plus 1.25, equals 5.25 inches.

Step 2: Small square cut size

Small square cut size equals finished flying geese height plus 7/8 inch, which is 0.875 inches, for the no-waste method. The extra 7/8 inch covers seam allowances and trimming to finished size. For finished height 2 inches, small square cut size equals 2 plus 0.875, equals 2.88 inches, rounded at two decimal places, which is 2 and 7/8 inches.

Step 3: Sets needed, squares needed and geese made

Sets needed equals flying geese needed divided by 4, rounded up to a whole number, because one no-waste set makes 4 flying geese, and a partial set cannot be sewn. For flying geese needed 20, sets needed equals 20 divided by 4, equals 5 sets. Large squares needed equals sets needed times 1, because each set uses 1 large square. For sets needed 5, large squares needed equals 5 squares. Small squares needed equals sets needed times 4, because each set uses 4 small squares. For sets needed 5, small squares needed equals 20 squares. Flying geese made equals sets needed times 4, because each set makes 4 flying geese. For sets needed 5, flying geese made equals 20 geese, exactly the number needed, with no extra geese.

Assumptions, shown next to the result

This calculator uses the no-waste method only, with seam allowance 0.25 inch on each side, as is standard for piecing. Finished width must be twice finished height, for standard flying geese, otherwise the calculator shows an error and no cut sizes. Cut square sizes are used as entered in the unit mode you choose, with no extra added for mistakes or shrinkage, beyond the 1.25 inch and 7/8 inch already in the formulas. If flying geese needed is not a multiple of 4, sets needed is rounded up, and flying geese made will be more than flying geese needed, which is extra geese, not a mistake.

Flying geese cut size chart

This chart uses the same formulas as the calculator: large square cut size equals finished width plus 1.25 inches, small square cut size equals finished height plus 0.875 inches, for the no-waste method.

Finished flying geese size	Large square cut size	Small square cut size
2 by 1 inches	3.25 inches	1.88 inches
4 by 2 inches	5.25 inches	2.88 inches
6 by 3 inches	7.25 inches	3.88 inches
8 by 4 inches	9.25 inches	4.88 inches

Chart values are a guide for the finished sizes shown. Your own finished size may give a different result. Use the calculator above for your own measurements.

Worked example, checked against the calculator

Finished flying geese size 4 by 2 inches, flying geese needed 20.

Large square cut size: 4 plus 1.25 equals 5.25 inches.

Small square cut size: 2 plus 0.875 equals 2.88 inches, which is 2 and 7/8 inches.

Sets needed: 20 divided by 4 equals 5 sets.

Large squares needed: 5 times 1 equals 5 squares. Small squares needed: 5 times 4 equals 20 squares.

Flying geese made: 5 times 4 equals 20 geese, exactly the number needed, with no extra geese.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate flying geese cut sizes?

For the no-waste method, large square cut size equals finished flying geese width plus 1 and 1/4 inches, which is 1.25 inches, and small square cut size equals finished flying geese height plus 7/8 inch, which is 0.875 inches. For example, finished 4 by 2 inch flying geese need 5.25 inch large squares and 2.88 inch small squares.

What is a flying geese block?

A flying geese block is a rectangle made from one large triangle in the centre and two small triangles on the sides, with two different fabrics. Its finished width is twice its finished height, for example 4 by 2 inches, or 6 by 3 inches.

How many flying geese does one no-waste set make?

One no-waste set, with 1 large square and 4 small squares, makes 4 flying geese. Sets needed equals flying geese needed divided by 4, rounded up to a whole number.

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