Flying geese math, explained
Updated 2026-07-11
The quick answer, for a goose that finishes W wide × H tall:
- No-waste (4 at a time): one large square at W + 1 1/4“, four small squares at H + 7/8“. Yields four geese with nothing trimmed away.
- Traditional (stitch & flip): one rectangle at (W + 1/2“) × (H + 1/2“), two small squares at H + 1/2“. Yields one goose, with two trimmed-off corners.
A standard goose is twice as wide as it is tall (4“ × 2“, 6“ × 3“), but the formulas work for any ratio.
Why the no-waste numbers work
The no-waste method builds four geese from one large square and four small ones, sewn and cut entirely on the diagonal. Diagonal seams are why the additions look odd:
- The large square becomes the four goose triangles. Its diagonal has to span the finished width plus seam allowance on a bias edge — that costs the same 1 1/4“ that quarter-square triangles need (two 5/8“ diagonal allowances).
- Each small square becomes a sky triangle whose short sides land on the goose’s corners. That is half-square-triangle geometry, so it takes the familiar 7/8“ addition.
Worked example, a 4“ × 2“ finished goose:
| Piece | Formula | Cut |
|---|---|---|
| Large square (goose fabric) | 4“ + 1 1/4“ | 5 1/4“ |
| Small squares ×4 (sky fabric) | 2“ + 7/8“ | 2 7/8“ |
Sixteen geese need four sets: four large squares and sixteen small ones.
When to use each method
Use no-waste when you need geese in fours from the same two fabrics — it is faster per unit and wastes nothing. Use stitch-and-flip when you need odd counts, scrappy skies, or oversized units to trim: its corners are marked, sewn, and flipped, which many quilters find more forgiving, and the trimmed corners can become bonus half-square triangles.
Some quilters cut everything an extra 1/8“ larger and trim the finished unit — accuracy insurance at the price of a little fabric.
Skip the arithmetic
The flying geese calculator does both methods for any size and quantity, and the same math ships in the Sashing app with the yardage for the goose and sky fabrics included.
For a printable lookup instead, the flying geese chart gives both methods’ cut sizes for every standard finished goose.