Open Gate Blog

Welcome!  Today is the first day of Best Laid Plans...quilt along.  The first step is on my website today, September 1st.  October 1st will be step 2, November 1st - step 3, and December 1st - step 4.  I will leave all the instructions on my website until the end of January.  That will give you plenty of time to either do the steps or at least print them off.  The first step is fabric and cutting.  I have already given you fabric requirements but I also put them on the step 1 instructions.  You can link it here:  Best Laid Plans...Step 1 LeAnne Olson, my fabulous machine quilter, got it done quickly for me and here it is quilted and bound.  I love it!  I had a question on what fabrics that I used.  Most of the reds are French General reds, a variety of different lines and the main background is Etchings by 3 Sisters for Moda.  The background is a lighter background with reds and beige throughout.  The perfect...

Okay, so it has been a really hard decision to choose!  Here are some of my favorites: Peppermint Star String Quartet (via FaceBook and my dear friend, Sue) Barbershop Star Northern Lights and the winner is: Best Laid Plans... It's perfect because it will definitely remind us of the story of me being a little late!  :)  Thanks, Bri!  Bri, please email me so I can send you your Fit to be Quarter 6.5 & Companion.  Don't forget, Sunday is the big day for the beginning of the quilt along.  Make sure to come back to get your first installment.  Have a good week! 

Hope everyone is doing well!  I have been working on our Quilt Along.  I am going to start posting the steps on September 1st.  The first step will be cutting and you will have plenty of time to pick your fabric out and cut your quilt out.  The second step will be posted October 1st and we will begin piecing.  The quilt is currently being quilted by one of my awesome, talented machine quilters, LeAnne Olson.  Can you see her hands holding the quilt top up?  I just finished getting it ready to go to her this weekend so that I could get it quilted and get you the supply list.  I will have the completed quilted quilt picture for you on the 1st of September.  Here is a picture of it before it's quilted: closer view of star and sashing Here's what you need: Size:  54" x 68" 3 3/4 yards main light for background for blocks, sashing and outer border 12 fat quarters of dark fabrics for blocks, sashing and binding (I used reds) 3 ...

Well, as you can see it's been a while since I've blogged last.  I have been to Missouri, through Illinois and then to Indiana in the last week.  I left last Thursday to teach at a retreat in Brunswick, MO at Sew Sweet Quilt Shop .  This was their second annual Sew Sweet Event.  This year they had 3 teachers teaching and asked if I would join them.  I did and I had an awesome time!  I taught two different classes, Victoria Rose and Marquis from my latest book, Diamond Traditions .  All my students were so much fun and seemed to enjoy the class. Marquis class showing their blocks Saturday night, I did a talk/trunk show for the group.  I brought a bunch of different quilts to show and then did some demos of my rulers.  Jessica and Jeanette, who ran the retreat did an awesome job.  They had great food, lots of fun giveaways and had some photo ops for us.  Here is a picture of me with two of my new friends getting into the tro...

I know that it's a bit warm to be thinking about Christmas but I recently designed a pattern that has instructions for both a Christmas Tree Skirt and Tablerunner.  It is called String of Trees Skirt and Tablerunner .  I designed it using a new line from Maywood Studio, All Wrapped Up .  I fell in love with this line because it is so fun and festive.  The stripe is like a candy cane and when you cut it on the bias and use it for the binding, it wraps around the quilt and is so CUTE!  Sue and I were talking and she is making the tree skirt for herself.  She suggested that we offer kits for the skirt.  I readily agreed and we are offering you an awesome deal!  From now until August 1st, we are offering the kit for the skirt, the pattern and the Mini Fit to be Geese ruler for $70.00.  If you already have the Mini Fit to be Geese ruler, the price for the kit and pattern is $62.00. Both prices include free shipping!  We are not putting i...

Hi Everyone! I have had several comments on both my Facebook page and on my blog about where you can buy the playing cards.  There are a couple of places that they are for sale.  First, on my website under gifts, Diamond Traditions Playing Cards.   Also, C&T Publishing has them for sale but it looks like they are not available until the 15th of July.  Here is the link:  C&T Publishing Diamond Traditions Playing Cards.   Thanks for the wonderful comments about the cards...needless to say, I'm pretty excited about them!

Happy 4th of July!  I hope everyone is enjoying their day!  I am looking forward to all the yummy barbequed food that is on deck for today.   As you many know, the quilts in my first books, Fat Quarter Winners and Traditional Fat Quarter Quilts , through C&T Publishing, are named after card games.  My third book Diamond Traditions has a diamond theme to it.  So, C&T decided to create playing cards with my quilts on them.  The front of the cards is the quilt that is featured on the front of Diamond Traditions. The Ace, King, Queen and Jack each have different quilts from my various books.  And, guess who is the joker?!  You guessed it - me!  I think that is so fun.  My friends and family have requested that I get them a deck of cards even with me as the joker.  :) Yesterday, I received my boxes of cards.  I was so excited to see them and wanted to share with you.  It's super cool to have your quilt...