Wild Goose Chase Quilt Block Pattern

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How to Sew a Wild Goose Chase Quilt Block

The Wild Goose Chase quilt block is a classic traditional pattern dating back to the early 19th century. Using large and small triangles pieced together, it creates a beautiful geometric design reminiscent of a flock of geese in flight!

Cutting Guide

• Large triangles (goose): cut four 4⅞" squares, then cut each diagonally to create 8 triangles
• Small triangles (chase): cut eight 3" squares, then cut each diagonally to create 16 triangles
• Background: cut one 5¼" square and four 2⅞" squares, then cut each diagonally to create 8 background triangles

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Arrange the triangles in your desired pattern. The large triangles form the “goose” shape and the small triangles form the “chase” shape.
2. Sew the small triangles together in pairs to create squares, then sew the squares together to create the “chase” shape.
3. Sew the large triangles together to create the “goose” shape.
4. Join the shapes. With right sides together, sew the “chase” and “goose” shapes together along the long edge. Press the seam toward the “goose” shape.
5. Add the background triangles to the corners of the block, right sides together. Press the seam toward the background fabric.
6. Trim the block to 10½" square. Repeat to create as many blocks as needed for your quilt.

With these steps you'll create a beautiful Wild Goose Chase quilt block to use in a variety of quilting projects!

Covered Corners Technique

Use this technique to add precise corner triangles to any block unit without dealing with stretchy bias edges.

How to Resize Quilt Blocks

The first step in modifying any quilt block is to decide on your finished block size. You can base this on doubling a pattern, cutting it in half, or working with your available fabric.

Note: When working from a pattern's cutting instructions, remove the seam allowance before scaling. For example, if your pattern calls for 3½″ squares, subtract the seam allowance (½″), double the finished size (3″ → 6″), then add the seam allowance back (½″) — giving you a 6½″ cut piece.

Resizing Square Blocks

Add ½″ to your finished block measurement. For a 4″ finished square, cut a 4½″ square of fabric.

Resizing Rectangular Blocks

Add ½″ to both the length and width. To double a 3″ × 4″ block, cut a 6½″ × 8½″ rectangle.

Resizing Half-Square Triangle Blocks

Add 7/8″ to the desired finished block size. For a 4″ finished HST block, cut 4⅞″ squares.

Resizing Quarter Square Triangle Blocks

Add 1¼″ to the desired finished block size. For a 4″ finished block, cut 5¼″ squares.