Flying Geese Quilt Block: History & Free Quilt Pattern
Flying Geese Quilt Block #7: History Repeats Itself Quilt Along
The Flying Geese quilt block is one of the oldest and most recognizable quilt blocks in American quilting. This month, we’re stitching Block #7 of the History Repeats Itself Quilt Along, where each block combines traditional quilting techniques with the fascinating stories behind the designs we continue to stitch today.
Whether you’re new to quilting or have been sewing for years, the Flying Geese block is a timeless classic that belongs in every quilter’s skill set.
The History of the Flying Geese Quilt Block
The Flying Geese quilt block has been a favorite of quilters for well over a century. Its name comes from the resemblance of the pieced triangles to a flock of geese flying in their familiar V-formation across the sky.
Although Flying Geese quilts were being made well before the turn of the twentieth century, examples dating to the 1840s survive today in both the Smithsonian American Art Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. However, the earliest known published reference to the name “Flying Geese” appeared in the 1898 Ladies’ Art Company Catalog.
Founded in 1889 in St. Louis, the Ladies’ Art Company became one of the most influential publishers of quilt block patterns in America. Their catalogs helped standardize the names of hundreds of traditional quilt blocks that are still recognized by quilters today.
What Makes the Flying Geese Block Unique?
A traditional Flying Geese unit is made from one large center triangle with two smaller triangles on either side, creating a rectangle that is approximately twice as wide as it is tall.
Its simple construction makes it incredibly versatile. Flying Geese units can be arranged to create:
- Borders
- Stars
- Pinwheels
- Chains
- Chevron designs
- Secondary patterns with movement and direction
Because of its adaptability, the Flying Geese unit has become one of the fundamental building blocks of quilt design and continues to appear in both traditional and modern quilt patterns.
Join the History Repeats Itself Quilt Along
The History Repeats Itself Quilt Along is a free monthly series available exclusively to subscribers of the Fields of Patchwork Newsletter.
Each month you’ll receive:
- A FREE quilt block pattern
- The history behind a traditional quilt block
- Skill-building techniques to improve your quilting
- Inspiration to continue your quilting journey
If you’d like to stitch along with us, subscribe to the Fields of Patchwork Newsletter so you never miss a block.
