New class! StarQuar Party for Quilters

Written by Diane Harris on August 27, 2021. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Open Classes for Everyone

I’m putting the finishing touches on a brand new class that is open to everyone and you’re invited!

The StarQuar Party for Quilters is a one day class for scrap lovers.

Let’s turn your scraps into something amazing, happy and FUN!

I’m so excited about my newest class, The StarQuar Party for Quilters, part of my Scrap Quilt Secrets series.

I’ve barely scratched the surface of what is possible and I can’t wait to show you. Below is the start of LEMON ZEST, one idea I will share when you attend.

Questions on Yellow, Free Quilt Pattern

Written by Diane Harris on August 13, 2021. Posted in Blog, Complimentary, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Quilt Lifestyle

I did a Facebook Live about yellow for quilters this week and you can see it below.

I didn’t have time to answer all of the yellow questions that people left me so I’ll start to do that in this post.

Welcome to the Stash Bandit Studio!

Written by Diane Harris on August 11, 2021. Posted in Blog, Complimentary, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Quilt Lifestyle, Trunk Shows

If you’ve arrived here because you saw one of my videos for Annie’s and Quilter’s World, welcome! I’m happy to have you. Things you might be interested in:

The free pattern for Baby Windmills, which is my favorite little block.

Baby windmills in a small quilt called Christmas Dance by Diane Harris

Petit Patchwork, designed and made by Diane Harris

If you’re in a quilt guild that hires speakers, you can check out my trunk shows full of unique scrappy quilts.

The easiest scrappy brick quilt ever! Designed and made by Diane Harris.

I have taken much of the summer off to preserve my own mental health. It has been a very difficult season, and I know I’m not alone in that experience.

Father & Farmer, designed and pieced by Diane Harris, quilted by Julie Lechner.
Pattern: Fons & Porter’s Quick + Easy Quilts Feb/March 2021.

I do have a few upcoming magazine designs that I’m excited about. It’s always a challenge to keep that sewing under wraps until the pattern is published. I usually make those quilts six to nine months before you see them in a magazine. By the time the magazine appears, I have moved on!

This quilt is in the “to be quilted” pile. Maisy Daisy was designed by Maho Schwartz and is a complimentary pattern from McCall’s Quilting.

My pile of tops to be quilted is ridiculous. I did a lot of piecing during 2020 when we were at home for weeks on end. I can’t say it saved my sanity but it probably helped a little.

Framework, designed and made by Diane Harris.

I’m in the process of scheduling more on-demand classes. Ticketing is always a challenge, and I have to balance on-demand events with guild events for which I have contracts. I am also a gardener and that takes up a fair amount of time during spring, summer and fall. It seems there are never enough hours in the day.

So these are just a few random thoughts to give you a sense of what my scrap quilts are like and to say thank you for visiting my website today.

Quilt on,

Going Scrappy with a Pattern

Written by Diane Harris on July 8, 2021. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Trunk Shows

One of my favorite freelance jobs is with Annie’s Craft Catalog and Quilter’s World magazine. Each month I do a Facebook Live and talk about one of their pattern. I love putting my scrappy spin on things and it’s a great opportunity to be seen by their followers, who number in the hundreds of thousands.

The Healing Quilt designed by Lyn Brown, patterned in Quilter’s World, Summer 2021.

For the July FB Live, I chose the Healing Quilt designed by Lyn Brown. It is perfect for demonstrating how you can take a pattern that’s shown in just a few fabrics and scrap it up into a happy party!

The Brick Block: Join me and learn!

Written by Diane Harris on June 12, 2021. Posted in Blog, Classes, How-tos and Ideas, Quilt Lifestyle

I’m excited to offer a new class on a simple design called The Brick Block. It will be held live on Friday, June 25, but if you can’t attend live you can take in the recording and you won’t miss a thing!

The Brick Block baby quilt by Diane Harris, EQ rendering

This beginner-friendly block has so many possibilities that more experienced makers can enjoy it, too. And while you don’t need a teacher to make the block, I am going to unlock many secrets about fabric choices for you—ideas that you’ll be able to apply to all your future quilt projects.

You can make it scrappy, or coordinated, or scrappy coordinated! You can make the blocks big or small or somewhere in between. You can make a few blocks or dozens. And I will show you how to make any combination work so that your quilt is smashing!

Best of all, as long as you have a bit of a stash (that is, fabrics on hand that you love), you can make this project from the fabrics you already own. And the pattern is included in the price of the class.

Sound good?

Here are the details:

Friday, June 25, 9 to 11 AM CDT
You will register in advance
Attend live or watch at your convenience for 30 days
Unlimited repeats for 30 days
$20 covers pattern, class, handouts and
follow-up show & tell

Here are a few more things you can do with The Brick Block:

You could make a patriotic quilt with scrappy or more planned fabrics.

You could make a baby quilt with batting or without, in which case you’d be making more of a receiving blanket.

The Brick Block in a barn raising setting

You can use just one background as shown above in the barn raising setting. You may not want to make all of these decisions before the class, but if you come and see all the possibilities, I think you’ll quickly narrow it down. Then you can shop your stash, and if you need to purchase something, you know it won’t go to waste.

You can even go completely scrappy like I did with Scrappy Bricks. I’ll show you how to make this work!

I will also help you improve your piecing accuracy with a couple of easy tricks. 😊

Register now; space is limited.

Just $20 to equip you with many ideas you can use in this and future quilts!

I can’t wait to meet you.

Let’s see what’s hiding in your stash!

A few more details:

Check out the supply list here.

When and how I host the followup show & tell depends on a few things but as soon as I know, I will email all who registered.

This class is beginner-friendly but fun for anyone who wants to expand their skills with color and fabric selection!

Still have questions? Email me: diane@stashbandit.net

Sunday Sew-In Coming Up

Written by Diane Harris on June 1, 2021. Posted in Blog, Complimentary, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Quilt Lifestyle

Today I decided to stop analyzing and just get some events scheduled. The first one is coming up on Sunday, June 6. We had so much fun learning together during Scrap Quilt Secrets so I created a Sunday Sew-In. We’ll hang out and sew on Zoom, and I’ll share a block pattern plus some scrappy tips.

I’ll share a few quilts that are not in any of my trunk shows and you’ll get to see what I’m currently working on. If you want to, you can share what you’re working on, too!

You’ll need a ticket and they’re priced right at just $5. Get your ticket on Eventbrite now!

Out with the old, in with the new

Written by Diane Harris on May 29, 2021. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Quilt Lifestyle

I might be hard on ironing boards.

It became apparent recently that my old and trusty Shirtmaster had to be retired.

I bought it 15 or 20 years ago from a woman named Ellen who had a business in Colorado. Ellen had provided ironing boards for the classrooms during QuiltNebraska (the annual meeting of Nebraska State Quilt Guild). When the event ended, they were for sale at a discount.

Quilts by Accident

Written by Diane Harris on May 18, 2021. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Quilt Lifestyle

A lot of the quilts I make start off by accident. That’s what happened with the Daydream sampler from Quilter’s World.

Daydream sampler from Quilter’s World,
designed and made by Carolyn Beam; quilted by Donna Smith.

I do a monthly Facebook Live for Quilter’s World.** I brainstorm a few topic ideas for each one, and together we settle on that month’s focus. A few months back, I thought it would be fun to show how I would make the Daydream sampler with lots and lots of different fabrics.

Scrappy Backgrounds: What I’ve Learned

Written by Diane Harris on May 6, 2021. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Quilt Lifestyle

When I started making scrap quilts, that is, quilts with lots and lots of different fabrics, I thought that I still needed one big chunk of background fabric. I’d see the materials list and it would look something like this:

Sometimes it would require even more background fabric. Think 3 or 4 or 5 yards. I’d scurry off to the quilt store (which in my case means driving almost an hour) to buy the background.

Wild Goose Chase Handout

Written by Diane Harris on April 8, 2021. Posted in Blog, Complimentary, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration

Hi, if you’re here for the Quilter’s World/Annie’s Catalog Wild Goose Chase handout, welcome!

Here’s a link to the math for making 2.5″ x 4.5″ Flying Geese three different ways as shown on the FB Live on Thursday, April 8.

Get the Wild Goose Chase Handout here.

Watch the recording:

Watch the video recording of Wild Goose Chase: Three ways to make Flying Geese with Diane Harris of Stash Bandit.

Check out the Quilter’s World FB page for other video tutorials I’ve done in the past. And if you’re into other kinds of crafts, too, Annie’s Catalog is chock-full of great ideas.