Threads Across Nebraska: Quilts, shopping, fun!

Written by Diane Harris on October 9, 2025. Posted in Blog, Inspiration, Quilt Lifestyle

If you’re in or near Nebraska, I hope you’ll join me at Threads Across Nebraska in Kearney Friday and Saturday.

I’m very excited to have 30 of my quilts on exhibit during this event, hosted by Nebraska State Quilt Guild. And I’ll have more quilts in my vendor booth, something that is new for me. I might be in over my head with the vending but I trust that people will give me grace as I learn how to do it.

I’ll be doing a “walk-and-talk” through my exhibit at least once each day, likely around 10 each morning.

This is a casual stroll past the quilts, chatting about the quilts and sharing some of their stories. I’m looking forward to this a lot. I realized yesterday that I’m not nervous about this because it will just feel like talking about quilts with my friends. Nothing comes more naturally to me!

I had to leave out a few quilts that I wish I could have included but they’ll be in my booth so I hope you will stop by to see them. I’ll have a bunch of stuff for sale:

Featherweight sewing machines, vintage quilts and tops, Stash Bandit scrap bags, curated fat quarter bundles and several patterns of my designs.

I’m also running a special for quilt guilds to which I can drive: Book a trunk show for $425 ($100 off) and a class for $500 ($200 off) and pay only one-way mileage (50% off) when you book by October 15! 

If this sounds good, be sure to get in touch soon and we’ll find a date that works for both of us. My 2026 is filling up fast so please don’t delay. I’d love to visit your group!

If you’re not close enough to attend Threads, I’m putting together some exciting things for 2026 and I can’t wait to tell you all about them. Until then, quilt on!

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Any time I’m home, I’m cleaning up the studio. It’s always a mess.

Written by Diane Harris on December 17, 2024. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Magazines, Quilt Lifestyle

I’ve finished up my work travel for 2024 and it’s been so nice to be home. As I’ve worked to clear my creative space, I’ve unearthed some treasures.

I’ve had this magazine for 34 years because in 1990 it was a HUGE deal when Lady’s Circle Patchwork Quilts featured Nebraska and Nebraska quilters in its pages.

I remember looking at the editor’s image and thinking what a cool job she must have. I loved her edgy specs! I couldn’t imagine being so hip.

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Mangelsen’s + Stash Bandit

Written by Diane Harris on May 25, 2022. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Inspiration, Open Classes for Everyone, Quilt Lifestyle, Trunk Shows

I’m very excited about a new venture that begins next month.

I’m joining creative forces with Mangelsen’s in Omaha, a family-owned and local fabric, hobby, craft and just-about-everything store. I’ll do a series of events at the store beginning with my most popular trunk show on Sunday, June 5.

I’ll be sharing about 50 scrappy quilts. Each one has something to teach us about combining fabrics in unexpected ways. There are all sorts of styles.

Whether you like reproductions, or brights or a feminine look, there’s a little something for everyone.

Tickets for this trunk show are $15 and they include a discount coupon for use at Mangelsen’s on the day of the event. Don’t delay—get yours here: https://www.mangelsens.com/events/make-extraordinary-scrap-quilts/

Not only am I bringing tried and true favorites, I’m bringing everything I pieced during the pandemic. We’ll have a bonus section featuring the tops that aren’t yet quilted.

I did some new improv work, similar to MerryJoyCheer, above. This kind of making is unbelievably entertaining and I’m looking forward to sharing my new creations.

As a natural follow-up to the scrap quilt trunk show, I’ll teach “Color, Contrast & Cohesion: Make Extraordinary Scrap Quilts” at Mangelsen’s on Sunday, June 26, 12:30 to 4:30. Registration is open and tickets are $75. Reserve your spot now!

I am so happy to partner with Mangelsen’s and I look forward to seeing many of you in person for the upcoming events we have planned. It’s going to be so much fun!

Best wishes,

Trunk show tickets here

Workshop tickets here

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Ken Burns, Filmmaker and Quilt Collector

Written by Diane Harris on February 5, 2018. Posted in Blog, Quilt Lifestyle

If you’ve watched popular documentaries such as Jazz, Baseball, The Vietnam War and The National Parks: America’s Best Idea, then you may know Ken Burns as a filmmaker. His highly acclaimed work is known the world over. 

What you may not know is that Ken Burns is also a quilt collector. Some of his quilts are on exhibit for the first time at International Quilt Study Center & Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska through May 13. I’m lucky enough to live within a few hours’ drive and I visited last week.

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