Inventory

Starting with the most recent ~ 2016 National Sewing Month ~ I’m going back through my articles and creating an inventory list, a massive to-do list! These are projects I took the time to research and write about, so I want to make the time to create them! Rather than writing down on a piece of paper (to get lost on my desk), I’m listing them here!

Please, hold me accountable!

(Not in any particular order)

Nature’s Music – speaking of my desk, it’s where I keep the book, The Farmer’s Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt by Laurie Aaron Hird. While at Thomas’s, I’m keeping my eye out on some tiny print fabrics to use in creating these 6” blocks.

T-Shirt/ Memory Quilt – I need to first gather the t-shirts to use, then wash/dry (without adding any fabric softener or dryer sheet)!

Stack and Slash – while helping out at Thomas Sewing Center over the next few days, it’s a great opportunity to select the 5 different pieces of fabric I want to use!

Mastering the Beast – now that I have the correct tools, I want to go back and finish the “Let’s Sew It” appliqué wall hanging!

Paper Piecing – I’m excited about getting back to work on the Splendid Sampler’s BOM! I know I can do paper piecing now after reading the great tutorials!

Mixed Media in some Mini Quilts – to make a cute wall hanging like the “Hippy Chick”! This should be Number 1 on my list!

Busy Busy Busy!!!

Stack and Slash

There are many aspects of creating a quilt top I’ve yet to tackle. Two techniques come to mind immediately. One is the Stack and Slash method. The other, is creating a T-Shirt quilt.

Today, I’m researching the different tutorials available for the Stack and Slash (also called Stack and Whack) and want to share my findings with you as well! Have you created a quilt top using this method? I would love to hear any points and tips you’d like to offer! Please, leave a comment!

I’m a visual learner. Or, I can listen to someone explain how to do something, and remember the instructions ~ usually! Reading the instructions and then following them to the T, is a struggle for me.

Understanding this about myself, I need to find different ways to get to the same end.

This diamond quilt was ~ sort-of ~ using the Stack and Slash technique –

But not really…

I’d like to create something catawampus and fun!

The Stack and Slash technique is different from how I created this crazy quilt:

At Svetlana’s blog, S.O.T.A.K. Handmade, I found an informative tutorial (complete with photos!) using 6 different coordinating colors. This is her quilt top:

To start, each piece is cut 16” x 16” (so, I’ll pick up 6 fat quarters during the upcoming quilt shop hop *road trip!), then perfectly stacked together with the right sides of all the fabric facing the same way, up!

I know when I try this, I will need to go very very slowly, with no television on in the background, and follow the step-by-step instructions she provides.

This slowness will be especially important during the restacking aspect! You’ll understand what I’m talking about once you’ve read her tutorial underneath her picture:

I went to Pinterest and searched “Stack and Slash tutorials” and found many more ideas and methods!

The bright reds and pinks caught my eye on this one by Ms. Elaineous (isn’t that a clever name!):

It has fewer pieces to cut (only 5 times rather than the 9 on the one above) and just may be an easier one for me to start with when trying this new-to-me technique.

Then I went to Youtube! I’m so thankful for folks taking the time to create videos for those of us visual learners!

Oh! My!



This looks like a good one… I don’t have the bandwidth here at the ranch to watch it myself – not until I get somewhere with unlimited wi-fi availability!

Anyway, this is something I’m going to try out. I know I can!

Will you?


*road trip set for September 13th (one week from today!!!)... stay tuned!