Sad news in the crafting world today. Author, designer, quilter, blogger and force for all, Kathreen Ricketson died tragically. The woman behind Whip Up and author of some pretty cool books was on a year long adventure with her family, backpacking around Australia.

I had the pleasure of working with Kathreen on occasion. I greatly admired her career trajectory and found inspiration in her quilting and writing. She will be missed by many.

Please take a moment to learn more about her and her family. If you are so moved, there is an education fund already started for her children, details here.

Even though the chances are slim that we will ever meet all the people we know on-line, it is not our place to dismiss the connections anyone makes this way. Even if you never exchange an email, a blog comment or anything more than an Instagram like, this is not to say that you don't feel some inspiration, ire, delight, or joy when the other person shares details of their lives. And if you are the one sharing, remember that there are other people on the outside looking in, intrigued by your life. We can respect that relationship, but we also embrace it. So when losses happen, even from people we've never met, they can have profound impacts beyond those who are ready to give out literal hugs. Kathreen will be missed by many.