Meet a Quilter and a Give Away

Good morning everyone!
Let me introduce you to Rhonda Cratty, quilter and author.

---

What Inspired Me to Write Our Family Quilt

My family and friends, trips to the mountains, baking apple crisps, and quilting.  Everyday experiences nurtured and inspired me to write Our Family Quilt.

Whether I am quilting, writing a book, an article or a blog, it never just happens. It takes experiences, adventures, love, encouragement and support from family and friends.

Our Family Quilt didn’t begin when I sat at my laptop.  A tiny seed was planted in my writing soul when my mom, started me on my sewing journey. A box of scraps of material inspired my first try at putting bits and pieces together to create something new.  A Christmas sewing basket with little scissors, thread, pins and buttons is still treasured. My grandma, gave me her sewing machine she used since the 1930’s. I remember the moment she gave me the machine and tried to weave it into my book. On my thirteenth birthday, my parents gave me a Sears Kenmore that went forward and reverse (which I took with me when I got married, sewed little-boy blankets, and used until it would sew no more). It was those memories I put into words.

Once I was married my husband became my creative sounding board, patiently listening as I created with words, pins and thread. Supporting me with many adventures to fill up pages.

While I was raising children, teaching, and writing articles an idea for a book started brewing. My life supplied the inspiration.  I developed the prologue and the epilogue. I also knew from beginning to end the journey I wanted to take the characters on.  I knew how to sew but not quilt -which was critical in the story.

I walked into my friend’s office, who quilted, and asked her to give me enough information so I could write my book.

With a happy heart, she took me into my first quilting class and I was off on another adventure.  I went to quilting shows learning everything I could. I joined a quilting guild, listening to all their inspiring speakers and meeting encouraging quilters. I bought quilting magazines and books. As we traveled we stopped at each quilting shop along the way.  As I absorbed new experiences, I became inspired to add a different dimension to both my quilting and my book.

I not only finished the book but fell in love with the art of quilting.  The needle became my pen and the thread my ink. As I wrote about Grace, a master quilter, -as she shared her creative gifts with her young granddaughter, Audrey. I was thinking about sewing with my mom.

As I wrote about their lives unfolding around their family quilt.  The love between grandmother and granddaughter was a mirror of my love for my grandmother.

Each memory you create today becomes a springboard for future creativity.

As you read about Grace and Audrey, may it inspire a memory for you to use as your own creative springboard.  So you too, may piece together your own family quilt.

Rhonda Cratty

To read: Our Family Quilt: The Fabric of Life visit Amazon.com.

---

Thank you Rhonda for sharing your inspirational journey with us today. Each quilt we make really does tell a story of our lives.

Visit Rhonda’s website HERE

---

Rhonda is graciously giving away one signed copy of her new book.
Open to USA residents only. Enter below for a chance to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Guidelines and Rules for FunThreads Designs give away.

• No purchase necessary. Open to residents of the USA only.
• You must be 18 or older to enter.
• While we hope you will leave a comment on the post of the day because we love comments, we want no reply bloggers to have a chance at winning also. Rafflecopter will collect your name, state, and email.
• One signed copy of Our Family Quilt book will be given away to one winner.
• Winner picked at random via Rafflecopter at the end of the day on March 27th. Winner will receive notification via email. Winner will have approximately 5 days to claim their gift, if 5 days passes, the gift will be offered to another eligible entrant. Winner who will receive a shipped item will need to provide name, address, city, state. All prizes will be awarded.
• Winner will be announced on this blog and in the Rafflecopter window here on this page.Winner agrees to allow their name, city, state to be publicized.
• Odds of Winning a prize are based on total number of Rafflecopter entries.

• You are responsible for claiming and paying any tax owed on the value of any gift that you win where applicable.Some restrictions on gifts will apply based on shipping policies.This sweepstakes is void where prohibited by law.