Met with my Wednesday group yesterday

If those wanting Stack n Whack do not have their hearts set on a six or eight layer project I really urge you to have them do the four patch type pattern. It is so much easier for a first project using the Stack n Whack technique. The four squares can be cut any size and used in many different layouts. The official Four Patch Posy pattern is nice but the sewn square can be used as the center of many different blocks.

A group of needleworkers I meet with had been after me for several years to teach a workshop on the eight layer Stack n Whack kaleidoscope pattern. Knowing most of them had done very little piecing (their specialties are needlepoint and embroidery) I tried to explain that the kaleidoscope was not something for a beginner and took more than one session to complete. They insisted on their idea and said they could finish it at home. The event was a disaster. Only one person was able to match the eight layers and cut the pieces during our morning session. Several had not listened to me when I stressed that the amount of fabric they would need was determined by the length of the repeat. They had bought two yards "knowing that would be enough". Of course their fabric had a 15 or 18 inch repeat so they were short. I don't think anyone has touched the project since they took it home. Several mention even a year later that I didn't tell them how much fabric to purchase so they can't complete the project. Maybe if I had charged them my standard workshop fees they would have listened more carefully. Good luck.

Susan

Several had not listened to me when I

Some people will NEVER believe what you tell them, and only learn the hard way. As an in-between example, I once had people take sheets of ordinary paper, cut holes the size of the pieces they wanted (plus

1/4" seam allowance all around), and do fussy-cutting. It was certainly an object lesson about repeating patterns and volume of "wasted" fabric. It helped with some people, but not everybody, of course . . .