Stack and Hack© Tutorial

STACK AND HACK© TUTORIAL
How to make your own Wacky Fabric©
~~FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY~~

This method of making Wacky Fabric© was shown to me by my mother. The first time I saw it, was on a quilt that she made for my daughter Ophelia. 

MATERIALS:
  • At least 3 different color/patterned pieces of fabric that are the same size. Fat quarters are ideal for this, but you can use any size that you would like, as long as all of the fabric pieces are the same size.
  • Rotary cutter, mat, and ruler
  • Quality thread
  • Sewing machine and basic sewing notions: bobbins, scissors, pins
  • Iron and ironing board.


For this tutorial, I used 5 fat quarters in varying shades of purple batik. 

Step 1: Wash, dry, and press your fabric pieces.

Step 2: Stack your fabric with right sides facing up and as evenly as possible. I like to line up the selvedge edges and then trim any uneven or raw edges so the fabric is all the same size and squared up. 

Fat quarters ready to be squared up. (No, you are not colorblind. I forgot to photograph the purple before making the first cut, so these green ones are standing in.)

Step 3: Cut your fabric at an angle. Any angle but 90º. There is really no wrong way to do it. For this tutorial, I made my first cut lengthwise and approximately in the middle.  

Step 4: Take the top piece of fabric from the right hand stack and move it to the bottom of the stack. 

Step 5: Taking the top piece from each stack, sew each fat quarter back together: Place right sides together, pin in place (or not, if you are wild like me), sew a straight seam with 1/4" to 3/8" seam allowance. I used a 3/8" seam allowance for this tutorial. Keep your pieces in order and oriented the same as when you started. I used the selvedge edge as my 'top' to help me with this. 

Fat quarter after first 'hack' and sewn back together.

Step 6: Press seams open.


Seam pressed open on wrong side of fabric.

Step 7: Re-stack your fabric so the edges are even and aligned. Again, make sure you keep the layers in the same order and oriented so the same side is always on the right.

Repeat steps 3-7 until you get your desired result.

Second cut made to the right of the first and at a different angle. Getting ready to make a third cut at yet another angle.

A fourth hack to the right of the second one and a fifth hack to the left of the third gives me six long sections.

Hacking in the opposite direction.

A second hack with the right side pile re-stacked.

A third hack with the right side pile re-stacked.

A fourth hack with the right side pile re-stacked.

Five "Wacky Fabric©" Fat Quarters: each is unique.

The new pieces are considerably smaller than the original Fat Quarters.

You can now use your Wacky Fabric© any way you like. Sew four of the quarters together to make a larger piece that is the perfect size for a baby or lap quilt top. I used mine as a decorative fabric on the outside of my first Montana Mei Tai©

Remember, there is no wrong way to Stack and Hack. I made more hacks because I wanted a smaller scale to my pattern. You can make fewer hacks to achieve a larger scale.


Here are a few examples:

Quilt for Ophelia, made by my mom.

Quilt for Ophelia, made by Miss Viv

Quilt for Rowan, made by Miss Viv






~~FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY~~

Happy Crafting!

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