Quilters Paradise summit March 9 to 13

Written by Diane Harris on . Posted in Blog, Complimentary, How-tos and Ideas, Open Classes for Everyone, Quilt Lifestyle

Next week I’m giving a talk on bricks during the Quilters Paradise summit and you’re invited.

The Quilters Paradise summit is a complimentary online event from March 9 to 13, in which 26 instructors will share on a variety of topics of interest to quilters. There’s a little something for everyone!

Framework is one of the first brick quilts I made. It started me on a journey and I see no end in sight.

There are so many things you can do with bricks! I’m going to tell you how I define a brick and what makes it special. You’ll get a handout that shows a boatload of brick ideas.

This gorgeous brick quilt by Marcia was part of show and tell when I visited a quilt guild in Houston. She started it during a Stash Bandit online workshop. It makes me so happy when people bring their quilts to share with me and others. It never fails to blow me away!

My Break of Dawn quilt design is based on bricks. There’s no end to the fun!

Let me tell you more about the Quilters Paradise summit.

This is a new style of event in the past several years. A group of instructors present material over a period of days and registrants can watch all of the talks at no charge for a limited time.

If attendees want to upgrade to a paid ticket, they get extended access to watch the talks and a bunch of bonus content. But it’s totally optional and you’ll get a lot out of it whether or not you choose to upgrade.

Sunday, March 8 is the last day to register for your free ticket.
Click right here to get it now! 

I can’t wait to share all the best info about bricks with you!

 

Free quilt pattern: I Spy a Windmill

Written by Diane Harris on . Posted in Blog, Complimentary, Fabric Savvy, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Quilt Lifestyle

If you need a quick baby, toddler or donation quilt, here you go!

I love a Windmill block, and this scrappy I Spy version comes together quickly. The blocks finish at 16″ and the quilt is 52″ x 52″.

I Spy a Windmill by Diane Harris

It can be tricky to get novelty fabrics to play together nicely. I think a lot of I Spy quilts look pretty chaotic.

Free Trunk Show for Quilters!

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

For the next week, you’re invited to watch my Taste Test Trunk Show: Unexpected Sampler Quilts for free on YouTube.

I recorded it on Feb 2 and today I’ve made it available to everyone through Thursday, March 13. It lasts about an hour and I hope you’ll have a look.

The reason I’m sharing this talk publicly with no admission is to help spread the word about Stash Bandit.

I speak and teach for quilt guilds across the US and Canada but I want to keep widening that circle. I love being with quilters both in person and online. If you’re in a quilt group anywhere in the world and you enjoy the trunk show, please share my name with your leaders. I’d love to bring my scrappy fun to your neck of the woods!

Access the handout for this trunk show here.

When I watched this back, I made a mental note to move some of the best samplers toward the beginning. So please don’t despair at the duds I show early. It gets better!!

Now sit back, relax and enjoy. 🍿

Summit attendees: Handout is here!

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

Thank you for attending Quilted! The Virtual Summit this week. Here is a link to access the handout for Build a Scrap Quilt: Brick by Brick. Please note: After you register, it may take a few moments for the handout email to arrive in your inbox. Please be patient, and if it does not arrive then send me email using diane@stashbandit.net. Thank you!

https://mailchi.mp/stashbandit/quilted-the-virtual-summit-expanded-handout-bricks

Best wishes,

Free week! What to do?!

Written by Diane Harris on . Posted in Blog, Complimentary, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Open Classes for Everyone, Quilt Lifestyle

I was supposed to spend the next eight days with my grandchildren in Washington. But life had other plans.

A nasty stomach virus is making its way through the family of two adults and four children.

We decided late last night that I should postpone my visit. While I’m bummed not to see them, there’s an up side:

I have a free week!! Oh my gosh, what a gift!!!

I’ve been brainstorming all night (when I should have been sleeping) about how to spend the time. Here are some of the things I want to do.

  • Make shortbread cookies (for the first time) using this recipe
  • Learn Cat Bordhi’s “magical knitting” and create a Moebius scarf
  • Clean up the studio
  • Finish writing a long overdue pattern
  • Prepare for Quilted! The Virtual Summit (happens Tuesday and Wednesday, don’t miss it!)
  • Finally sell my countertop compost maker (because I need more compost than it can make)
  • Try some new recipes; get the groceries needed
  • Walk, walk, walk (because we’ve been having warm weather for January in Nebraska)
  • Layer, baste and quilt one of the tops in my huge pile
  • Ready one top for the longarm quilter @beenquiltin
  • Make an appointment at Calico Cottage to rent their longarm

Make sure you don’t miss this event that starts tomorrow!

I’m giving a talk on bricks, which are one of my favorite shapes. There is so much you can do with them!

Click right here for your free ticket.

And here’s another brick quilt, just for fun.

Have a wonderful week!

An all-new summit and you’re invited!

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

Many of you joined me last year for a summit on conquering your scraps and you loved it.

Well, new year, new summit!

I hope you’ll plan to join me and 24 other quilting teachers on Feb 4 and 5 for Quilted! The Virtual Summit. We’ll be sharing our best tips, tricks and techniques on a wide range of topics. And the tickets are complimentary.

If you’re new to Stash Bandit, welcome!

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

You’ll find lots of scrappy fun, tips, tricks and ideas for making diverse fabrics work together beautifully.

I’m Diane Harris and I think of myself as a scrap quilt specialist. I like to let the fabric do the work! My patchwork is usually simple. The way the fabrics play together is a little more complex, but totally achievable if you know a few tricks!

Star Silhouettes by Diane Harris
Quilting by Julie Lechner

Star Silhouettes is a simple design that packs a punch. It’s made from just one patch size and it features a little unit I call a StarQuar because it’s one-fourth of a basic star block.

It appeared on the cover of American Patchwork & Quilting’s August ’22 issue, and you can still get the pattern here.

Lingering Effects by Diane Harris
Quilting by Julie Lechner

I designed Lingering Effects in response to a rough patch I went through coming out of the pandemic. The idea behind the red crosses was “send help.” I almost gave up on that border but now I think it’s the most striking feature of the quilt. This design appeared on the cover of Quiltmaker’s Jan/Feb ’24 issue. You can get the pattern from the publisher here.

Make a Scrap Quilt: Brick by Brick

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

Welcome to Stash Bandit! Let’s talk about bricks!!

I’ve been playing with bricks for years and some of my favorite quilts feature this simple rectangle which is twice as long as wide. Let’s start simply. This is the easiest scrap quilt ever!

Cut a wide variety of fabrics into patches 2½” x 4½”. Pair a lighter brick with a darker brick. Sew the patches together along the long edge to form a unit. Press toward the darker brick. Now you have a unit:

Arrange the units into Row 1 by rotating the second unit and then every other unit as shown below. Sew the units together and press seam allowances to the left.

Make Row 2 in a similar way, but rotate the FIRST unit, and then every other unit. Sew those units together and press seam allowances to the right.