Stack and Slash

 These instructions are taken from several other blogs.  I have given credit at the end of this post.

 

Tools

·         18”ruler

·         12 ½ “ square ruler

·         Rotary cutter with new blade

Fabrics

·         9 fat quarters  or 15” squares of fabric in bright contrasting colors (more or less depending on the number of blocks you need.  You will end up with one block for each square of fabric you use.  These instructions are for a baby quilt but you can do any size from a table runner to a king size quilt just by adding more squares of fabric.  Of course you won’t be able to cut more than about nine at once.  If you use more, just divide into stacks and cut each stack in the same manner.)

 

 

Block Cutting and Construction
Cut nine squares 15" x 15" (these can be cut from fat quarters). Stack all nine squares and pin a number to each from 1 to 9. (I used painter’s tape and wrote the number on each one.

 

Make first cut about a third of the way up and down stack of squares (see Image 1). Take one top piece (either side) and move to bottom of the pile. Sew each block together. Arrange stack of blocks in order from 1 to 9.

 

Make second cut at an angle, cutting larger piece in half from top to bottom (see "Image 2"). Move two pieces from same side to bottom of stack. Sew (chain piece) each block together. Press seams open or to one side. Put blocks in order from 1 to 9. (Press and stack as you go.  Begin with last sewn and end with first sewn on top.  Keep number in same corner as you stack.  Pressing the stack will help keep the layers together.  Repeat this with each layer.)

 

Make third cut a third of the way across block from right to left (see Image 3). Move three pieces from top to bottom of stack. Sew together each block. Put in order 1 to 9.

 

Make fourth cut at an angle cutting larger piece in half from left to right (see Image 4). Move four pieces from top of either side to bottom of stack. Sew each block together. Square up (trim) each block to 12 1/2" x 12 1/2".

 

You now have nine blocks.  Finish your quilt by sewing all together are add sashing and borders as desired.

 

 Don’t try to match points – the charm of this quilt is that they don’t match, and by the 4th cut, they are sometimes WAY off. You can stop after 3 cuts. The quilt won’t be as busy and will have bigger patches. Cuts which go the same direction as the selvedge don’t reduce the size of your block as much as cuts which go perpendicular to the selvedge. Cuts which are at sharp angles to the perpendicular (or to put it another way, cuts which are closer to bias cuts) will reduce the size of your final block more than cuts which are close to right angles.

 

*It is important to keep your fabrics in the right order to make the pattern work, but if for some reason your squares didn't turn out exactly as they should, if something went together wrong, don't worry about it! This block is supposed to look very random and mixed-up. If you made a mistake when you were moving the layers, or sewing them together, or if they got out of order, it will all look fine in the end.

Resources:

http://sotakhandmade.blogspot.com/2012/04/improv-block-using-stack-and-slash.html

http://chasingcottons.blogspot.com/2011/06/stack-and-slash-tutorial-with-kate_12.html

http://www.quiltlor.com/StackNSlash/StackNSlash.html

http://craftymammas.wordpress.com/2007/03/18/crazy-star-patchwork-quilt-tutorial/

http://www.simplicity.com/t-free-quilt-patterns-Anything-Goes-Quilt.aspx