Open Gate Blog

It's no secret that I love Ireland.  I think it's so beautiful and inviting.  When Sue and I visited, we saw so many wonderful things, met some great people and enjoyed the breath taking scenery.  There was so much inspiration in the colors and the scenery. A couple of years back, I received a request for advertising in Irish Quilting magazine.  I emailed them back and asked if they were interested in having some submissions for there magazine instead.  They were and the rest is history!  The first quilt that I designed for them is Blue me Over .  Here is a picture: The latest quilt that I designed for them is called Fields of Green .  I love the way they photograph the quilts in the surrounding countryside.  Wouldn't that be an awesome job?!  Traveling around Ireland to photograph quilts?  Hmm...I wonder if they have an opening?!  Here is Fields of Green and we do have both the kit and magazine available on www.bundles...

You were probably wondering, where is she?  Actually, I really didn't go anywhere (except for a quick trip with 2 buddies.)  I have been at home, like a hermit.  My friends, Kathy and Peggy and I went for a quick shop hop on Friday.  We started off driving up to Spring Green, WI to Country Sampler .  If you love soft, muted colors and an old feel to your quilts, you would love Country Sampler.  She has been in business for over 20 years and is going strong!  Her quilts are comfortable and warm.  They had a few buses coming through so we shopped and then quickly made it out of there before they arrived. We then went to one of my favorite shop, J. J. stitches in Sun Prairie, WI.  She had 3 pink and brown quilts right when you walked in her shop and I would have bought all three kits.  I showed restraint because I know that in a few weeks I'm going to get sample fabric of Memories of Provence  and I will be busy sewing.  Juli...

A while back, C&T had contacted their authors regarding submitting a block for their new book: Modern Blocks.  I submitted an idea and they accepted it!  I'm so excited to be included in this fun book with C&T Publishing.  Now, I know what you are thinking...modern block? Monique?!  I actually used a more traditional block and added a modern twist to it.  The book will be out soon.  I have been a bit under the weather with a summer cold.  So, most of my weekend was sniffing, coughing and sleeping.  I did manage to get some more work done on the Countdown to Christmas quilt.  Here are some of the pieces in progress. Hope everyone has a great week!

Thelma left a comment that she was ready for some new pictures of Tillie.  I told her that I would post some new pictures of her and her latest mischief!  Her hair has grown and it's about 1" long right now.  She is looking much cuter and knows it!  She gives me that look like I can do anything and you will forgive me, right!?!  Well, look at this: She decided that she is going to dig holes all over the yard.  She dug a trench behind the day lillies and Bill put up a fence to keep her out of it.  Now, she has started on another part of the yard.  The good news is that she isn't digging to get out.  She's digging because she likes to dig.  While I was at work yesterday, Bill let her out and she wouldn't come in for 2 1/2 hours.  She was working on her masterpiece!  Bill was not too happy at this and I heard about it as soon as I walked in the house.  He is going to work on her training! Does anyone have any suggestions ...

We are having a heat wave here in the midwest.  It has been hot and humid for several days/weeks (or so it seems.)  Tillie is very much agitated because I will not take her for a walk in this hot weather.  I'm sure that she can handle it but I can't.  I dream of the cooler weather and so I have been eying my fat quarter bundle of Sweetwater's Coundown to Christmas .  I know it's only July but what better time to start a new Christmas project?  It will give you time to work on the quilt and think about the cool weather.  So, I decided to start a quilt project.  It's not like I don't have many started!  :)  But, Thelma from Cupcake 'n Daisies inspired me with the Moda Bake Shop quilt.  She is going to use the pattern and I decided I liked it too.  It is called Starry Eyed and is free on Moda Bake Shop.  It is so cute and I just happen to have the fat quarter bundle of Countdown to Christmas make this quilt.  Here is t...

Hi Everyone! This is our last day for the blog tour.  Make sure that you stop by Thelma's blog: Thelma from Cupcakes 'n Daisies I met Thelma when she was taking a class from Carrie from Miss Rosie's Quilt Co here in Rockford.  We all went out for dinner after the class and I had the pleasure of sitting next to Thelma.  We became fast friends because she is a dog lover like I am.  We chatted about our dogs and quilting.  Instant friends!  She has a wonderful blog that I make sure that I read every day.  I love her fabric choices and when we did the blog tour on Fat Quarter Winners , I thought her take on Crazy Eights was fantastic.  She included a piano key border on the outside that just made the quilt. Now, for the winner of my drawing.  It is: andsewon , who said: "This July 4th we are staying home and having a sweet niece over for cook out. We will just eat sit and talk, maybe stitch some later.No fireworks this year as too ...

Hi Everyone! Thanks for coming back and hope the week is going well for everyone!  Don't forget to stop by Sherri and Denise's blog today for your free pattern, chance for a giveaway and recipe.  Here is their blog addresses: Quilter's Window - Denise, http://www.quilterswindow.com/blog/ A Quilting Life - Sherri, http://www.aquiltinglife.com/ I've been telling you how I have met (or corresponded) with my fellow blog hosts.  I met Denise at Quilt Market one year.  We started talking and became instant friends.  She is always so nice.  She invited me to come to teach and lecture at her shop, Quilter's Window in New Hampton, IA.  It's about a 4 hour drive from where I live.  I enjoy visiting Denise, her shop and her customers and have returned every year for the past several years.  I love to visit Denise and she is such a great host.  I get to stay at her house with her family and her wonderful dog, Rocky.  Rocky and I have bec...

Hello to everyone!  This has been a wonderful blog tour so far and I'm sure you will continue to love it.  Your host for today is: Sweetwater - Lisa, http://www.sweetwater.typepad.com/ I have never met the girls from Sweetwater but they seem very nice through our correspondence over email.  I really love their fabrics and their latest line, Countdown to Christmas is fabulous!  I have a fat quarter bundle and we have also ordered some for a project that will be on bundlesandbolts.com  later this year.  It is classic but whimsical and I just love it.  My friend, Sue who I have bundlesandbolts.com with is a huge fan of their fabric too.  Here is sampling of their Countdown to Christmas line.  I forgot to tell you how I met Sherri from This & That Patterns .  Last year after Quilt Market, I was honored to be invited to a 2 day Designer Retreat hosted by American Patchwork & Quilting .  As you know, APQ is one of my...

Thank you so much everyone for commenting on my blog yesterday!!  I absolutely love to read your comments and hear from you!  If you haven't commented, please do and for those of you who did, thanks again! Today's blog hosts are: Stashmaster - Lisa - http://stashmaster.typepad.com/ This & That - Sherri, http://thisandthatpatterns.typepad.com/ I met Lisa from Stashmaster through my good friend, Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.  Carrie was teaching a class here in Rockford and Lisa, Thelma - Cupcakes 'n Daisies and Nicole - Sister's Choice took her class.  We all met for dinner and I so enjoyed meeting them all.  Lisa is a doll and here eye for color is fantastic.  She did Pinochle from Fat Quarter Winners in blues, reds and creams and has inspired me to do another version of Pinochle.  Here is the start of my version using a Moda line by Three Sisters, Grace.  I have done all the 1/2 square triangles but haven't trimmed them all...

Welcome everyone to the first day of the blog tour!  I'm so glad that you can join us!  Here is the schedule for the bloggers: July 4th - Open Gate - Monique, http://opengatequilts.blogspot.com/ July 5th - Stashmaster - Lisa - http://stashmaster.typepad.com/ This & That - Sherri, http://thisandthatpatterns.typepad.com/ July 6th - Sweetwater - Lisa, http://www.sweetwater.typepad.com/ July 7th - Quilter's Window - Denise, http://www.quilterswindow.com/blog/ A Quilting Life - Sherri, http://www.aquiltinglife.com/ July 8th - Cupcakes 'n Daisies - Thelma - http://www.cupcakesndaisies.blogspot.com/ The first thing that I would like to do is give you your free project.  I have decided to use my Fit to be Quarter ruler to make this adorable little quilt.  Here is a picture of the quilt: I trimmed the 1/4 square triangles using the Fit to be Quarter ruler and they came out so perfect.  The unfinished size is 2" so they are nice and tiny.  It's ...