Posts Tagged ‘free quilt pattern’

Plus and X Block Instructions

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

One thing we’ve talked about in Scrap Quilt Secrets is the Plus and X Block. It became popular a few years back when a Japanese quilter named Setsuko Inagawa entered a quilt with this block into the Tokyo show, and a quilter named Jan Burgwinkle took photos and posted them on flickr. People went wild and soon there were Plus and X quilts popping up everywhere.

I made mine in the first few years of the frenzy and I didn’t pay any attention to value. Here’s what I mean.

Stash Bandit is Celebrating!

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

I hope you’ll join me to celebrate a milestone! Stash Bandit reached 10,000 Instagram followers on Sunday, Feb 14 and that calls for a party!

Father & Farmer by Diane Harris, quilted by Julie Lechner

Let’s first talk about the launch of my complimentary series of classes: Scrap Quilt Secrets. Why am I giving away six hours of instruction on fabric, color and making dynamite scrap quilts? Here’s why:

I want to visit your quilt guild!

I’m doing this series to give people a sense of my style and a taste of what I share during my trunk shows. And there’s another reason:

I love to talk about scrap quilts!

Framework by Diane Harris

People are hungry to know how to use the fabric they already own to make beautiful scrap quilts. They want projects with cohesion rather than a messy jumble of chaos—and that’s what I will teach you.

You can sign up for one, any or all of the six one-hour sessions. I will give a presentation on a scrap quilt topic and then we’ll have discussion where you can ask questions or show me your fabric and get help.

The first session is Sunday, Feb 21 from 2 to 3 pm CST. It will happen on six consecutive Sundays: Feb 28, March 7, 14, 21 and 28. Sign up for one, any or all. Missing one won’t put you behind. Each one stands alone.

Read more or sign up for Scrap Quilt Secrets right here.

Starting Tuesday, Feb 16 we’ll have 10 days of giveaways with all sorts of great treasures!

Ten days of giveaways begin Tuesday, Feb. 16

There are books and bags and bling! Some of the giveaways will be here and some will be on Instagram. You can enter either or both; the giveaways will be for US addresses only. Find me on Instagram @stashbanditquilting.

If you subscribe to the blog, that’s the easiest way to be sure you never miss a thing.

Subscribe to the blog.

I’ll also publish a new complimentary pattern this week for my easy, simple, modern design called Nights in White Satin.

Nights in White Satin, EQ rendition, by Diane Harris

I designed this quilt in EQ8 and I’ll start piecing it this week. Join with me if you want to! It would be a good time to get EQ8 for yourself or to learn how to use it. Lots of great info at The Electric Quilt Company.

Pattern coming later this week!

But wait! There’s more! 🤣

For quilt guilds, I’m running booking specials this week.

Discounts plus a quilt!

Flower Baskets by Diane Harris

I am giving a 15% discount on virtual lectures booked for any time in 2021 or 2022. And for the first three guilds that book a virtual lecture, I will send you a quilt which you can award to a member, donate or use as a fundraiser. This offer only applies to new contracts not already in place or in progress.

Offer ends March 31, 2021.

See my trunk shows here.

Thank you for your support over the first four years of my business adventure. I so appreciate it!

Need to get in touch? Click here.

Quilt Block Mania: New Year Star

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

Welcome to Quilt Block Mania! I have a complimentary block pattern for you and a list of other designers who have also posted blocks this morning!

Let me introduce you to something I call “the running thirds.”

My block is called New Year Star and it uses the running thirds. It’s a way of dividing a block in three so that you get a Nine Patch, but the divisions are not equal.

Instead, they are the sizes of any three consecutive or “running” numbers, such as 3, 4 and 5. All of the Quilt Block Mania blocks finish at 12″, and you’ll notice that 3 + 4 + 5 = 12.

Keep in mind that for right now, we are talking about the finished sizes.

Block divided vertically into three columns

First we’ll divide the block into three columns. The first column is 3″ wide, the next is 4″ wide, and the far right column is 5″ wide. There’s our pattern of 3, 4 and 5.

But wait! There’s more!

Block also divided horizontally into three rows

Next we’ll divide the block horizontally so that we have three rows. The first row is 3″ tall, the next row is 4″ tall and the bottom row is 5″ tall. Same pattern of 3, 4 and 5. Still with me?

Finished dimensions of each patch

From there you can see that the dimensions of each patch are easy to figure out. If you’re not following, try this:

  • Read the dimensions of the top row, moving across.
  • Read the dimensions of the middle row, moving across.
  • Read the dimensions of the bottom row, moving across.

You should be able to hear the patterns of 3, 4 and 5 as you read. Repeat the process for each column:

  • Read the dimensions of the first column, moving down.
  • Read the dimensions of the second column, moving down.
  • Read the dimensions of the third column, moving down.
New Year Star block by Diane Harris, EQ8 rendering

My New Year Star block is based on a 3-4-5 grid just like you saw above. What’s so cool about this idea is that you can adapt it for many traditional blocks and put a whole new spin on them. But that’s a topic for another day.

Take a look at the New Year Star if you scrap it up a bit with the magic of EQ8.

I like these colors but I thought it might be intense for an entire quilt. So I changed to blue and silver and got this:

The stars appear to be dancing because I rotated the blocks randomly and used many different blues: brighter, darker and dustier.

Then I went scrappy with baby girl colors, and the quilt is below.

There are so many things you can do with this block! If you have EQ8, I recommend that you play with it there. But if you don’t, then mess around with crayons or markers or even your stash to get inspired and make a quilt that is uniquely you.

I’ve created a printer-friendly pdf with the block instructions for New Year Star. The block finishes at 12″ x 12″. Enjoy!

Scroll down for links to the other designers with complimentary blocks out today. So much deliciousness!

Yes, some are shown twice. 🙃

Stargazing Sue
Starburst at Slice of Pi Quilts
Massachusetts Star with blockofthmo.com
Nova Star at Always Expect Moore
Nativity Star
Star Bright – Cotton Street Commons
Five Pointed Star at Duck Creek Mountain Quilting
New Year Star at Stash Bandit
Poinsettia Star
Wish Upon a Satar by Heidi Pridemore
Falling Star at Pretty Piney Quilts
Star Splash at QuiltFabrication
Seward Star at Blue Bear Quilts
Moon Star at Perkins Dry Goods
Starburst at Patti’s Patchwork
Cherokee Star
Christmas Tree Star
Christmas Star by Oh Kaye Quilting
Starfish by Appliques Quilts and More
Snowy Star by Seams To Be Sew
Combination Star by Devoted Quilter
Ablaze by True Blue Quilts

Quilt Block Mania and Giveaway!

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

I am so excited to be part of this month’s #quiltblockmania with many other quilt designers. We all used the same color palette and designed blocks with a Halloween theme. You’ll want to check them all out—that’s 29 free blocks! Scroll down for links.

🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃 🎃

I’m building a new program called Taste Test: Unexpected Sampler Quilts, so I designed Pumpkin Chain in EQ8 as a way to tie lots of other quilt blocks together. It would make a terrific sampler!

Just choose favorite 12″ blocks with a fall or Halloween theme. Alternate them with my Pumpkin Chain and like magic: amazing sampler quilt!

Pumpkin Chain by Diane Harris for Quilt Block Mania

You can also change out the center portion of my pumpkin so that each chain block is different. I’m excited to share those center blocks with my newsletter subscribers between now and Halloween! Sign up for Oh Scrap! and never miss out!

Last week I wrote about coloring designs in EQ and shot a video of how it’s done. If you watch it, you can see one of my ideas for how Pumpkin Chain can be used. More to come!

Pumpkin Chain by Diane Harris, Stash Bandit

GIVEAWAY! I’ve gathered some soft oranges, backgrounds and neutrals to help you get started on your own autumn scrap quilt with some of the blocks you’ll find during Quilt Block Mania.

Giveaway fabrics straight from my stash so you can start your own scrap quilt!

Leave a comment before midnight on Thursday, Sept. 3 and I’ll pick a winner on Sept. 4. Tell me where you found another cool block during #quiltblockmania! The winner of the giveaway is Bev C in Florida! I have already heard back from her and the package will be on its way shortly. Thank you, everyone!

Here’s a printer-friendly pdf with instructions for Pumpkin Chain.

“Which Hat?” at Pretty Piney
Black Cat at Inquiring Quilter
Ring of Pumpkins at Always Expect Moore
Haunted House at Powered by Quilting
Three Treats at Sew Brainy
Bat at Slice of Pi Quilts
Day of the Dead Skull at Duck Creek Mountain Quilting
Gypsy Wagon Fortune Teller at Orange Blossom Quilt
Monster at Seams to be Sew
Patchwork Pumpkin at Quilted Diary
Stacked Pumpkins at Perkins Dry Goods
Spooky Star at Block of the Mo .com
Leaf Ghost at Off the Wall Quilt
Leaf and Vine at Quilt Moments
Frankenstein at Around the Bobbin
Bat by Heidi Pridemore
Candy Corn by Quilt Fabrication
Dark night by Cotton Street Commons
Pumpkin by Sew on the Go
Pumpkin and Bat by ScrapDash
Pumpkin Chain by Stash Bandit
Happy Jack-o-lantern by Patti’s Patchwork
Foundation Pieced Creepy Eyes by Amarar Creacions
Spooky Trees by Aunt Em’s Quilts
Upside Down Witch by Appliques Quilts and More
Scaredy Kitty by Tacy Gray
Sun-Boo-Net Sue by Blue Bear Quilts
Spider by Oh Kay Quilting
Candy, Pumpkins, and Witch Hat by Utah Quilt Appraiser

Whoa. That’s a whopper of a list of free quilt block patterns!

Star-Spangled Giveaway!

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

I finished piecing an adorable quilt top over 4th of July weekend. I started it last year on Independence Day and it felt great to complete it.

There’s something incredibly quirky about patriotic pineapples. What does one have to do with the other? I can’t say exactly and yet this design grabbed my attention and I started sewing.

Make a Little Halloween Quilt!

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

I love small quilts!

Small quilts don’t take up a lot of time or space. They quickly satisfy my need to create. They’re fun to use in my home as the seasons come and go. And they make great gifts. What’s not to love?!

I have been making small quilts ever since I started quilting in 1984. That’s 35 years.

The Great Pumpkin Backstory and Giveaway

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

Last year I had this idea: Design a Christmas quilt with giant candy canes. The candy canes would be so big they’d cover the entire quilt. I nestled them together and topped them off with a Starlite™ mint.

Prancer’s Peppermints, designed and made by Diane Harris, appeared in Quilty Nov/Dec. 2018

Quilty magazine published them as Prancer’s Peppermints in the Nov/Dec ’18 issue.

Diane’s giant pineapple “Welcome” quilt, click for free instructions!

Then I thought it might be fun to make a giant pineapple quilt, and that’s how Welcome was born.

Sign up for Emails!