I'm getting ready to begin a stack and whack and was wondering if anyone has any 'helpful hints'? I know there will be some waste - but with 7 yds, I can use it somewhere. Need help from some of you experienced quilters, please.

I haven't made one yet but thought I'd do a quick search for tips for you...
It looks like the biggest is picking the right material for it (good amount of background between prints) and to not wash the fabric before you cut. You want the sizing in it. It kills me to not prewash material before quilting but that's what they say to do for this one - I'll trust it.

I'm planning to make one but sadly it will have to wait awhile. I have a lot to get done before I can quilt for *fun* lol. (xmas presents & dresser scarves)

Oh - I did find a link to this search page which is really massive. You might find some good advice in there as well.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/virtual...jsp?vsnum=1006

Ive done many stack and whacks and what I find helps alot is to press the fabrics well, then align everything using pins to make sure the print lines up perfectly.......
if using the whole width of the fabric, I cut it along the fold line. Its easier to line up the narrower widths, rather than the whole 44".
Remove pins before cutting........ then keep your 'waste' pieces stacked as well, you may be able to get a second set of blocks out of it, or use 4 layers to do stack n whack 'squared'. Great use of what would be 'waste'.

Starch, starch and more starch. LOL

I prewash and press my fabric. Then I cut the 7 yard piece in half LENGHTWISE and set aside half. Look for the repeat in the print and cut the repeat in the same place in the design. Sometimes, you have to cut everyother repeat to get the piec large enough. You need 8 matching pieces. then stack the cut pieces on top of each other. Insert a pin at the same place on each design in three or four seperate places. Cut the fabric into strips and then into suqares and then into triagles. This will give you 8 identical triangles for your pinwheel block. I used to teach Stack and Whack. it is an adicting pattern. The other half of the fabric is used for the borders of the quilt. Cut them lenghtwise too.

I have done several Stack and Whack and have washed the fabric first in all of them. The trick to any quilt is starching and ironing them .... it is not a problem to wash the fabric first.

My problem with the cutting is when yiu cut the strips and pieces. How do you determine the size of each bloc? Do you fussy cut each strip?

You really need to have a pattern or someone show you. S&W is not a fussy cut pattern.. actually pretty precise to get it to match up right.
It's a matter of how you cut and stack the repeats. Then you cut with a ruler the size you are using.. this is determined by the pattern.
My first one I did take a class on and that helped alot to understand what they are doing. After the first class I have done several with the pattern books... I use Bethany Reynold's but I think there are others out there..

Thanks for your help. Maybe a class would help.

type in stack and whack in the search and you will find all kinds of posts on it.