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I’m a technical writer/editor, ex-teacher, and quilter living with my husband on an acre of land in the beautiful southwest corner of Western Australia… which might help explain the ‘sandgroper14′ part of the URL. A ‘sandgroper’ is a slang expression for a Western Australian, and my birthdate is the 14th. |
Since moving from Perth early in 2007, I’ve taken up quilting — with a passion! At first, I was most interested in the quilt design and creation process, but now I’m passionate about art quilts and free motion quilting (FMQ). I use a Husqvarna Sapphire 970 for sewing and piecing, and my beloved ‘Bee’ — a Handi Quilter Sweet Sixteen — for my quilting. Almost all my quilting is free motion — I rarely mark a pattern, I don’t use pantographs, and I rarely use rulers.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have attended several multi-day quilting workshops in the US and Australia, and have been taught new techniques from the likes of Michelle Pearson, Gloria Loughman, Eleanor Burns, Lenore Crawford, and Velda Newman.
I’ve honed my FMQ skills by volunteering to quilt charity quilts for my local guild’s ‘Community Quilts‘ program. I started quilting community quilts in June 2012, and by May 2013 I had quilted more than 80 quilts of various sizes for this program. I also quilt other people’s quilts for a fee (see Quilting Services).
Contact me:
- rhonda AT rhondabracey DOT com
- My Etsy store: http://rhondamadeit.etsy.com
- My patterns on Craftsy: http://www.craftsy.com/user/1160873/
- Twitter: @rbracey
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rhonda.bracey
My wife really likes your site. SHe passed it to me and now I’m a fan, too.
Best wishes from Fort Lauderdale
Steve McCrea
skype SteveEnglishTeacher I plan to show my students your blog
i really love your Aboriginal cosmic curves quilt!!! it is awesome!!! Do you have any more and would I be able to purchase the pattern? I have heaps of Aboriginal fabric and want to make one for my dad and 2 brothers.
Hi Geraldine
I made that quilt a few years back and one of my friends bought it from me — it was one-of-a-kind and I have no more. I learned how to make it at a workshop run by Michelle from Handcrafter’s House (Raggedy Stitches) in Midland, Western Australia. You can contact her at michelle@raggedystitches.com — she knows me well, so tell her you found the quilt on my blog and ask if she still sells the ‘Cosmic Curves’ pattern. I believe she based the pattern on Ricky Tims’ convergence technique.
Hello Rhonda, I just randomly came upon this page while browsing the internet, and those two leaf quilts with the red/green color and the blue color are really beautiful and I was just wondering if I could have your permission to use the two images as a front and back cover to my Album demo that i’m currently recording, I feel like it matches the theme of the music. You can email me at eliasabidaoud@gmail.com . Thank you!
Hi Elias
Do you mean these? http://sandgroper14.wordpress.com/2012/01/07/2012-fmq-challenge-january/
Sure, go ahead. Just send me pictures of the finished product when it’s done so I can add them to my blog (see email address above). Can you also send me more info about the album?
–Rhonda
Never say “never” (reference: Update (April 2009): Well, the global financial crisis has killed off any plans to build! Perhaps forever…) When God closes a door, He opens a window!!!! Hugs, Doreen