Summer Camp

I’m going to a quilty summer camp.

I couldn’t resist the adorable blocks being made in the Modern Quilt Studio’s “Modern Mystery Quiltalong Summer Camp” taking place now. The participants are full of helpful assists and have lots of good humor.

I’m crazy. I know. There are two quilts on my design wall already, the quilt from hell, and Traverse waiting to be hand quilted. But at the very least I’ll print out all the directions.

However… I already have my cutting table covered with solids, so why not? I kept telling myself I absolutely SHOULD NOT start another project, but I really liked what I was seeing online (I found this group on a Facebook page), and I walked away and walked back for two days before I realized I was already putting together a palette and watching videos.

You can go online and see what has tempted me so strongly. I really like this organization and did review its lively patterns and mystery quilt results that people have posted on FB. There is an Instagram account as well.

I have been working in solids for these past 4 or 5 years, as longtime readers know, so I have a solid stash of colors. Here’s the palette I’ve made for this project:

I’m going to remove the dark magenta from this palette as I’m going to use a dark olive green for what is called the “field” fabric that will surround the modern blocks (Kona Juniper 409). The magenta will not show up on a dark green. Per the helpful videos, I’ve included some duller, lighter fabrics that will make the brights shine in the quilt.

The cutting and sewing are easy–and the block load coming weekly now is doable, for sure. I’m already learning some new piecing methods–and it is always fun to get directions for various blocks to make. Out of the initial 8 blocks, one chooses 4 to make. These first blocks are what I was seeing as people made theirs and shared.

Crazy, yes. But happy too. And energized with my creative work.

Here’s a little bouquet I cut when I pruned and deadheaded the other day.