Is it a Bird? Is it a Plane? It's a Goose?!

Sometimes a mystery quilt contains mystery blocks.

The 1937 Malaga quilt has these two star blocks.  I went to Barbara Brackman to find a name, I thought is would be easy.  However, nothing matched.  I tried stars of all descriptions, 16 patch, unequal 9 patch with a large centre, and so on.  The only block that I did find has the same pieces but looks very different.

This is Brown Goose, or Double Z.  Doesn't look like a star at all, does it?  But the only difference is the corner blocks.  Reverse the half square triangles and the mystery block appears.

Brown Goose

Brown Goose Variation

A - 2 light and 6 dark 2.5" x 2.5" squares.  Cut diagonally to make 4 light and 12 dark triangles.

B - 2 light and 1 dark 4.25" x 4.25" squares.  Cut diagonally twice to make 8 light and 4 dark triangles (2 of each color not used).

Trim center hourglass block to 3.5" x 3.5". Trim flying geese (top, bottom, sides) to 2" x 3.5".  Trim half square triangle corners to 2" x 2".

Block measures 6.5 inches.

Cutting instructions are the same as Brown Goose, the only difference is the position of the half square triangles in the corners.


Make one of each block.  The unused triangles from each block can be used to make an hourglass block 3.5 inches square.