Going Virtual in a Pandemic World

Written by Diane Harris on August 5, 2020. Posted in Blog, Classes, Trunk Shows

I’m excited to have several trunk shows and classes available for booking as virtual learning! We can’t gather for meetings, conferences and all-out quilting parties but we can be together using modern technology, and what’s not to love about sewing in your own space with all of your tools close at hand?!

Visit my Virtual Learning page to learn more, and if you have questions, please reach out: diane@stashbandit.net. Always happy to hear from you!

I teach a multitude of concepts by using scrap quilts sewn mostly from my stash. You can make this kind of quilt, too! I love showing willing learners how to combine unlikely fabrics they already own to make a dynamite scrap quilt.

Get in touch, and…

Let’s Talk Quilts!

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A full-on hissy fit and other random thoughts

Written by Diane Harris on June 12, 2020. Posted in Blog, Quilt Lifestyle, Trunk Shows

A while back I wrote about some quilts that were in trouble with me for a post called “Quilts in the Doghouse.” I just finished piecing another top, a recent UFO (which means I started it in the past year or so), and near the end of the process, I had what you might call a full-on hissy fit.

First I want to say that Hexie Framed is a great design and a well-written pattern from Emily Dennis of Quilty Love. None of this story is the pattern’s or the designer’s fault. This is all on me.

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New Old Work in the Studio, Part 1

Written by Diane Harris on June 8, 2020. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Trunk Shows

Hey quilters, how are you holding up? I know. Me, too. Things are starting to open up here in Nebraska, and I wonder if my friends would want to head out to a quilt store this week. I am ready!

I have sewn like a crazy woman during the pandemic. I’ve finished up some things, started a bunch of new things, and practiced machine quilting a LOT.

In December I dug out and shot all the UFOs I could find, including these little baskets.

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From Craftsy to Bluprint to “It Was Good While It Lasted”

Written by Diane Harris on May 23, 2020. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Quilt Lifestyle

Yesterday, online learning platform Bluprint, formerly Craftsy, sent an email to instructors saying the company would be closing over the next few months. This was at once surprising and completely unsurprising.

When Craftsy began about 10 years ago (because a guy received a quilt from his aunt), the quilters I knew loved it. It provided something new in the form of online learning, and it was well done. You could interact with the instructors, get answers to your questions, post your progress and make friends with others in your classes. It was amazing.

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Quilting Adventures in a Wild Garden

Written by Diane Harris on May 11, 2020. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Trunk Shows

I’ve been machine quilting much more than usual during this extended time at home. I’m learning a lot. I am so happy to have finished My Wild Garden recently.

It’s an improvisational quilt, which is a fancy way of saying I made it up as I went along. You’ve never had so much fun as improv quilting allows.

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Quilts in the Doghouse

Written by Diane Harris on April 18, 2020. Posted in How-tos and Ideas, Quilt Lifestyle, Trunk Shows

I’m not going to talk about the pandemic. We’re all frustrated. So…

Let’s Talk Quilts.

I’ve been finishing up some things the past few weeks. I have a lot of UFOs squirreled away in closets and cupboards and it would feel great to be done with them. And, BONUS, some of them can go into trunk shows! I have extra time because my engagements with guilds have been cancelled for April, May and June.

Two quilts I finished this week gave me pause. One was My Christmas Album, above. It’s a great design by Tina Curran with fusible applique and a border of Christmas sweaters. But when I took the final stitch, I didn’t feel anything good. I felt all manner of royally ticked off.

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Quilt Candy Trunk Show Followup Part 1

Written by Diane Harris on April 6, 2020. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Quilt Lifestyle, Trunk Shows

Thank you to everyone who has viewed the mini trunk show from the Quilt Candy event. I really appreciate your time. I wanted to follow up with a few things and put all of the links in one place.

Watch the mini trunk show with scrap quilt tips. 

Nine Patch Jambalaya is a quilt that gets a lot of attention during the Make Extraordinary Scrap Quilts trunk show.

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Quilt Candy Virtual Trunk Show, Days 5 and 6

Written by Diane Harris on April 5, 2020. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Quilt Lifestyle, Trunk Shows

We’re on to more of the Quilt Candy Virtual Trunk Show. These are the links for today, Sunday April 5, and tomorrow, Monday April 6. You can watch them live on Facebook at the times listed or you may watch them anytime after the live broadcast that is convenient for you.

My own trunk show will be today at 4 pm CST, 5 pm EST. I hope you’ll take a peek! I’m going to share tips for making scrap quilts, some free quilt patterns and a few quilts that are part of my various trunk shows. Nothing to buy! 😊 Just watch, learn and enjoy.

Today, Sunday April 5 (note that these are Eastern times):

April 5 12pm EST Ebony Love https://www.facebook.com/LoveBugStudios/
April 5 1pm EST Bill Locke https://www.facebook.com/bill.locke.96
April 5 2pm EST Marlene Oddie https://www.facebook.com/kissedquilts/
April 5 3pm EST Sandy Fitzpatrick https://www.facebook.com/HissyfitzDesigns
April 5 4pm EST Reed Johnson https://www.facebook.com/BlueBearQuilts/
April 5 5pm EST Diane Harris https://www.facebook.com/stashbandit/
 April 5 7pm EST Kathryn LeBlanc/Dragonfly’s Quilting Design Studio https://www.facebook.com/dragonflysquiltingdesignstudio

Tomorrow, Monday April 6 (note that these are Eastern times):

My business focus is two-fold.

1. I give trunk shows and classes for guilds and shops. I’d love to visit your town!
2. I design quilts for magazines in the US and abroad. I’d love to appear on your pages!

Get in touch and Let’s Talk Quilts.

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More Quilt Candy Trunk Shows

Written by Diane Harris on April 4, 2020. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Quilt Lifestyle, Trunk Shows

The Quilt Candy Virtual Trunk Shows continue today beginning at 11 CST on Facebook Live. You can watch live or any time afterward when it’s convenient for you. There’s a lot of great talent being displayed.

My own trunk shows will be Sunday at 4 pm CST and Tuesday at 6 pm CST on my Facebook business page. It’s kind of fun to watch them live but I have caught many afterward as well. Either way you get to see it all!

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More Designers Up: Quilt Candy Trunk Show

Written by Diane Harris on April 2, 2020. Posted in Blog, How-tos and Ideas, Quilt Lifestyle, Trunk Shows

There are more designers hosting short Facebook Live events in the Quilt Candy Trunk Show! I hope you’ll take a peek. Remember that you don’t have to watch it live, you can watch them any time after they go live, too.

Today’s designers:

Tomorrow’s designers:

April 3 12pm EST Darcy Hunter www.facebook.com/darcydoodlequilts
April 3 1pm EST Teresa Weaver www.facebook.com/yoursewingfriend
April 3 2pm EST Annette Ornelas https://www.facebook.com/southwind.designs/
April 3 3pm EST Jo Westfoot – The Crafty Nomad www.facebook.com/thecraftynomad
April 3 4pm EST Lynn Kane https://facebook.com/puppygirllynn
April 3 5pm EST Geeky Bobbin https://facebook.com/geekybobbin 
April 3 7pm EST Laura Strickland https://m.facebook.com/orangeblossomquilt/
April 3 8pm EST Jen Frost https://www.facebook.com/FaithAndFabric/

If you like what you see, go ahead and “like” that person’s Facebook page because she will likely share other good stuff and you’ll want to be part of it. I’m up on Sunday, I’ll see you then!

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