Your Stack'n'Whack project just became a Quilt as You Go project. . .
They Laughed When I Said I was Going to
Create a Stack and Whack Quilt.
But Their Laughter Turned to Amazement
as They Watched
My Beautiful Quilt Go Together
One Block at a Time
Date:
Greetings Quilter -
I’ll admit that I laughed when quilting teacher, Sharyn Craig, first talked about Stack and Whack quilts.
Traditional quilt blocks are my style of quilting, and how could you make a traditional quilt block using a stack and whack technique?
During the decades that followed, I’ve seen several quilting books about stack’n’whack quilts. Most of them have blocks that require you to “be creative” and cut free form pieces from squares of fabric.
They are beautiful and look like they would be fun to make - - if only I were creative and bold enough to cut the pieces free form.
Then there are the stack-n-whack quilts where the designer takes a traditional block and cuts the patches so they are a little “skewed,” creating a kind of funky look.
And as much as I love the quilts, the instructions are too confusing, and I find myself putting the books back on my shelf – for another day when I have tons of time and feel very creative.
Then there are the “magic” stack and whack quilts where you fussy cut fabric and create a kaleidoscope quilt. Now those are really quite beautiful, and you can make a quilt with one large kaleidoscope or many smaller ones.
As intrigued as I am with those quilts, I get lost in the instructions for them as well.
There Must be a Way - I thought
But, one day I got a kind of stack and whack bug, and decided that there must be a way to combine my love for traditional quilt blocks with a stack and whack technique that would allow me to cut several layers of fabric at a time and then switch the fabric to create interesting blocks quickly and easily.
I poured through my books of stack and whack quilts, looking for a simple block.
Oh, I got some ideas, but still everything seemed too complicated.
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| Broken Rainbows Quilt Block used in the Stack and Whack Quilt |
Then I took my book of thousands of traditional quilt block patterns and flipped through the pages. I copied some of them down onto a piece of paper and pondered them for weeks.
It just didn’t make any sense to take a block with squares and half-square triangles and try to make it using a stack and whack technique. Why not just cut the patches out like you would a traditional quilt block?
Then I ran across a block that had some interesting patches.
It was a traditional block that was divided into 4 patches and it looked like it had some possibilities for a stack and whack quilt.
Cutting the block using templates was possible, but since each of the patches had a kind of symmetry, I could see how I could cut them somewhat free form, yet keep me sane.
Once I had a pattern, it was time to start looking at fabric. And, of course, a trip to my local quilt shop was in order.
As I was searching for fabric, it occurred to me that since I was going to cut the patches from squares, why not buy fabric that was already cut into squares.
So, I headed for the Layer Cake fabrics.
It’s funny, the first time I saw layer cake fabric bundles, I wondered what you would do with a stack of fabric that was cut into 10 inch squares – why not just cut squares, or patches from yards of fabric?
But, that day, it dawned on me that using layer cake fabric for this stack and whack quilt was perfect.
All of the squares would be already cut and ready for me to whack. Plus the colors would be coordinated, so I wouldn’t need to be scouring the shop looking for some number of fabrics that went together for a quilt.
Besides, in order to get the variety of fabric that I could get in a layer cake fabric bundle, I would need to:
- gather about 38 bolts of fabric, including light, dark and medium fabrics
- carry them over to the cutting table
- stand in line with annoyed quilters behind me
- deal with the person who was not going to be too happy about cutting small yardage of all of that fabric
- watch for at least 23 minutes while she cut, folded and rang up all of those yards of fabric
- cut squares out of the 1/3 yard pieces once I got home
- find a place in my stash for all of the leftover pieces of fabric
- and then realize that I spent way more than I needed to on fabric
- Whew!
Of course, the other option was to limit the variety of fabrics I chose for my quilt – but why – when I could pick up a bundle of 42 squares of fabric that included about 35-39 different fabrics, all conveniently cut into 10 inch squares?
Since this was a grand experiment, I figured one bundle would be enough for the quilt – making it wall hanging size.
With fabric in hand, I went home to further plan the quilt.
After looking at the block design, I decided that the best way to cut the pieces was to make each patch in the block 10 inches. That way I could use whole pieces from my layer cake fabric, and simply cut them into 4 smaller pieces.
This made each block 4 times as large as it might have been otherwise, but why not?
It would make cutting the fabric easier and since the pieces were larger, there would be fewer seam allowances, thus making the most of my limited fabric.
As I pondered the quilt even more, it occurred to me that it would be even better to make using a Quilt as You Go technique – finishing each “patch” and then adding them together into the large blocks.
With the plan in mind, I started cutting and sewing.
Once the blocks were sewn, I decided that I wanted to add sashing between them, so my Quilt as You Go project became a little more interesting, since the sashing was added to both the front and back of the quilt.
And then, there were the borders.
Since I still had squares of layer cake fabric remaining, I decided to cut them into strips and make a stripy border, and even figured out how to add batting inside the border!
Within a very short time, my stack and whack quilt was finished, and even I was amazed at how easy it was, how quickly it went together, and what a great wall hanging it will make for my house.
And Now You Can See How I Did it
If you have been around the www.How-to-Quilt.com quilting world, you’ll know that we specialize in providing information showing you step-by-step how to create beautiful quilts using simple techniques.
We take the mystery out of sewing patches together and getting square corners and pointy triangle points; provide pointers for creating beautiful machine quilting stitches; guide you through a logical sequence for sewing your quilt together so you get the best results in the shortest amount of time; show you what you need to know to create a quilt you will be proud of and one that will amaze your family and friends.
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And now you can add this resource to your collection of “how-to”s for all of your quilt making.
In just 23 seconds more than 84 minutes, you can see – from start to finish – just how to cut and sew this simple, yet beautiful, stack and whack quilt.
Because I remember what it is like to learn something new, these DVDs include clear instructions with details exactly where you need them. In these videos you will learn:
The easy way to decide which fabrics to put together in each stack so that when you whack them and sort them, they will create a block that looks beautiful and that you planned it - not like some random scrap quilt
What a brilliant idea!
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The thing is, I know that with the economy the way it is, and with the holidays just behind us, things might be a little tight around your house.
And I also know that as quilters we are always looking for better ways to create more quilts.
It may not be so much about keeping your loved ones warm as it is about giving a heartfelt gift that saves you money by using fabric from your stash.
Or you may be looking for an easy way to create a wall hanging to brighten the walls in your home (or a friend's home) that you can make entirely on your home sewing machine in a short time.
Or you may be just looking for a new and different to make a quilt or wall hanging.
And maybe you aren't really interested in cutting your fabric using a stack and whack method. But you do want to add some other techniques to your quilting toolbox.
Then this Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Set is perfect for you, because in addition to discovering stack and whack techniques, you'll learn methods and techniques that will help you in all of your quilting projects.
Here's just a taste of what you will see:
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What's the Cost to Put Me on Your Quilting Team?
By now you may be wondering about the cost of this valuable resource.
Well, put it this way.
If you hired me to consult with you to cover all of the points on these DVDs, it would run in the neighborhood of 5 hours. And at a rate of $40 per hour, that would set you back about $200 – and that doesn’t count travel or telephone expenses. Plus at the end of that time, your head would be spinning, your notes would be flying, and you still wouldn't know exactly where to begin.
You could attend a one or two day workshop, pay $70-$90, and sit through a class with other quilters who are way ahead of you in quilting experience and impatient with others lacking their experience. Or there could be a bunch of quilters with less experience than you who want to hold up the entire workshop until they catch up. I'm sure that you've been in workshops with those quilters, haven't you? If you are anything like I am, when you leave a workshop like that, you are frustrated and just want to scream. And then you promise yourself you will never sign up for another one like that again! In the meantime, you still don't have all of the information you need to complete your project easily and without frustration.
Or you could spend $90-$100 for some specialized quilting books, and then try to figure it all out yourself. We've all been there, haven't we? Maybe the quilts are beautiful and it says that they are easy to make, but when you get the books home and start trying to figure it out, the instructions aren't so easy, and you can't tell which is the right side vs. wrong side of the fabric in the book, and they assume that you have much more quilting knowledge than you might have. And that's where I started with my stack-n-whack quilt project - frustrated with confusing instructions in books.
Remember, it’s taken me 28 years of making all different kinds of quilts, plus an investment of thousands, of dollars to sort through all of the clutter of information and give you only the best. And I know you want to get to the heart of making beautiful quilts and bypass all of that torture and unnecessary expense.
After all - Isn’t your time worth something?
This DVD set covers practically the same thing you would get in a personal consultation for a mere fraction of the investment.
And, you can look back at each and every step of how to complete your Stack and Whack quilt project whenever you want to and how ever many times you need to – without feeling stupid or embarrassed for reviewing it eleven times. You can even watch in your jammies or sweats or while the kids or grandkids [or hubbie] are taking a nap!
Just think of how many hours you would spend pawing through books looking at instructions about how to complete a Stack and Whack Project, reading them and then trying to figure out exactly what they are telling you, so you can try it yourself. That's assuming you can even find the books or instructions. Remember, I scoured the bookstores, amazon, and the internet for complete and easy-to-understand instructions for Stack and Whack projects, and all I came up with were books that were too confusing for me to even begin a Stack and Whack project.
If you are anything like I am, once you have read everything and think you know what you are supposed to do, there are still some surprises along the way. But, when you watch someone actually do something, each step becomes clear and the surprise is only at the end when it all works out the way it is supposed to.
Not only am I an experienced quilter, but I've put together many quilting instruction DVDs, and I know how to put the instructions and video together so you get only clear information that will guide you through creating a beautiful heirloom quilt or wall hanging.
I don't spend time and money on fancy staging, lighting or costumes to show you how I make my quilts. And, I don't set everything up so it all comes out perfect. This is reality quilting - you see exactly how I am set up for making my heirloom quilts. And because it is reality quilting, you can do exactly the same thing.
Here is what quilters have to say about my other quilting DVDs:
I just wanted to tell you how easy to understand your directions are. It has made it simple for me. Thank you very much. If you have any thing else please add me to your list. Joanie Dear Penny. Christa Endres Penny's Robin's Nest DVD's finally put everything together for me - YAY!!! Before that, my mother in law tried to teach me :) Carol (Austin, Texas) Penny, I am so grateful for your site and all the great information that you have provided for all of us quilters. I having been watching the videos and they are just GREAT. You know sometimes it is the simplest things that give some of us so much grief in quilting, but with these videos and the Frequently Asked Questions site it has been a great help. Keep up the Great work that you do for all of us. Debra in Kansas Penny, I can't begin to tell you how much I'm enjoying the set of DVD's to help me master the art of quilting. I've followed your instructions to the "T" and I think I'm finally getting the whole process. I bought another set of DVD's, when I didn't think my order went through with you, and I'm so disappointed with them. The two ladies seems confused and are giving totally different information from what I've gleaned in watching quilting shows on TV. They remind me of ME quilting, turning the fabric first one way and then the other and not seeming to know which end is up, literally. I just wanted to let you know how much help you're giving to me even though you're miles away. I love the "feel" of your video's as well, a homespun, bird in the background, what sounds like a dog slurping water, etc. It reminds me of being in a familiar home of a good friend, not an impersonal video teacher. I think everyone who's on the fence about ordering should do so. What I learned is well worth the price and in installments no less, what could be better. Roberta Kelly |
Even though the Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Mentor includes complete instructions for creating a beautiful stack and whack quilt project, we always like to include special goodies for our quilting friends.
Bonus Gift #1 – Value $72.00
6 Illustrated Lessons -
Your Follow-Along Guidebook on CD
The DVDs are great and will show you exactly what to do and how to do it. But, taking notes and keeping them in one place is a whole different ball game. And, what if you want to read and follow the video in a book?
To make this even easier, this quilt was separated into 6 easy lessons. Each one of the six lessons follows along with the video and includes full color photographs from the video so you always know where you are. Stop the video, write your notes, back it up and review, if you want. You are always on the right track.
This Gift alone is a $72.00 value and it’s yours FREE with your order of the Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Set.
Bonus Gift #2 –Value $62.50
Patterns with Full Size Templates and Fabric Requirements
Whether you want to make a wall hanging or a full size quilt, you will have the resources you need right at your fingertips. In this bonus you get full size templates (if you want to skip the Stack and Whack part), patterns and full color layouts and fabric requirements for the wall hanging plus twin, double, queen and king size beds.
No more guessing how much to buy, or how many blocks you need to make a specific size quilt. It's all right there for you. Plus, you see the measurements for the finished quilt, so you'll know if it will fit on any special size mattress you might have.
Most every other quilt pattern you buy will show the quilt in just one size. With this Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Set, you get all four patterns and the fabric requirements for each size quilt. Throw your calculator away and make whatever size quilt you want without confusion or worry.
Since one quilt pattern is easily $12.50, this Bonus alone is a $62.50 value and it’s yours FREE with your order of the Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Set.
Bonus Gift #3 –Value $27.97
Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation with
Sharyn Craig
One of my favorite quilt teachers, Sharyn Craig, was my inspiration for the Stack and Whack technique. But that's not all Sharyn knows about. Sharyn has taught quilt workshops for years, and she is one of the more practical quilters I know. From choosing fabric to knowing how to "fix blocks" that aren't the right size or shape, Sharyn tells all in this Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation.
During our time together, Sharyn we learned about:
- creating beautiful quilts using blocks of different sizes
- purchasing just the right amount of the perfect fabric for your stash
- how to move from copying quilts to creating your own design
- designing an original quilt using plain, boring blocks so they make a beautiful heirloom quilt - one that will be around for generations to come
- making more quilts during the year by staying organized
- and much, much more
This is valuable information you can use on every quilt you make.
This Bonus alone is a $24.97 value and it’s yours FREE with your order of the Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Set.
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All of these Bonus goodies add up to a total value of $162.47.
Then when you figure that quilting DVDs are being sold other places for $19.95 each, and since the Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Set includes 2 DVDs, the value of just the videos with this fantastic instruction is way more than $43.90. That brings the total value of this package up to $206.37.
It's easy to see that our low, www.How-to-Quilt.com price of $57 saves you an incredible $149.37, a full 72.3% of the retail price – SAVED!
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| Front of the Stack and Whack Quilt | Back of the Stack and Whack Quilt |
Special Limited Time Offer
This information is so fresh and exciting that my super-special DVD copier guy, Tony, hasn't even cranked up his copy machines. Because he will be copying a bunch of these at the same time, he is giving me a super, special deal. But it is for this one time only. And I thought it was only fair to pass the savings on to you.
And in order to meet his deadline, that means that we need to have your reservation by Monday evening at midnight Pacific Time, February 1, to get in on this Special Introductory Deal of $57 including shipping and handling. Next time around, who knows what Tony will charge.
As always, we have taken all of the risk out of your getting this great information:
100%
Guarantee:
Your success in using this information to learn several different techniques for your Stack and Whack projects is completely guaranteed. In fact, here’s my 100% Better-Than-Risk-Free-Take-it-To-The-Bank Guarantee:
After you check out all of the fabulous information included with the Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Set, if you think that your Stack and Whack project won't be better than it was before, for any reason - I don't expect...or want...to keep your money. Simply send it back and I'll cheerfully refund your money in full. Just return it to us at: How to Quilt, c/o City Blue Print, 1400 E. Waterman, Wichita, KS 67211 |
Is that fair or what?
That's right! You can invest in these great quilting resources today, and look forward to making a perfect Stack and Whack quilt project, and if you are not completely happy at any time following your purchase – for any reason – just let us know, and your money will be cheerfully refunded.
This Incredible Information Can be on Its Way to You
in Less Than Five Minutes
Taking the first step couldn't be easier. Using our SECURE SERVER, you can get the Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Set for $39 plus a tiny amount for shipping and handling with just the click of your mouse.
Place Your Risk-free Order in a Few Simple Steps
Yes! Send me the Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Set. I am excited about adding these new DVDs to my so I will have all of the techniques for making any Stack and Whack or other quilt project I want, whenever I want to.
Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Set: Click here to invest in this Complete Stack and Whack Quilt DVD Set with our SECURE SERVER. This will take you to a form where you can enter your order information and be confident that it is secure. You will be charged $57 including shipping and handling for all of this great information about completing a Stack and Whack Quilt or any other quilt project, saving you an incredible $199.31.
Remember, this Special Introductory Deal is good only until next Monday at midnight Pacific Time.
You can pay with PayPal if you prefer. Just click on the PayPal button when you get to the shopping cart.
Happy Quilting!
Penny Halgren
Remember, this is the only week you will see this offer! The deadline is Monday at midnight Pacific Time. These will be shipped after the deadline. Tony will start making these once all of the orders are in.