Quilt Camp After Party

Each summer I teach Quilt Camp at work for youth ages 7-17. There are 3 different skill levels and each skill level has a different project. Campers learn basic quilting methods like choosing fabrics, machine piecing, quilting; and as their skills expand, they move on to rotary cutting, machine quilting, binding, and techniques such as paper piecing or curved piecing.

Camp can be chaotic, but it's always fun and inspiring to see how each participant chooses to create their quilt. After a number of years, I thought it could be cool to create a quilt that includes all of the projects from Camp and this quilt is the result!

"Quilt Camp After Party" includes all 21 projects from 2011-2017! 

That's a lot of projects to mesh together, so having a design wall while at quilt retreat was essential to puzzling out the final layout of the blocks. It measures ~69"x70". A lot of the fabrics are leftovers from the work stash so they add an extra layer of memory to the quilt. Of course, there are some bees tucked into the quilting too!

I finally got it together for quilting earlier this year, and free motion quilted it with a variety of coordinating Aurifil threads. Finding ways to emphasize each block had some challenges, but I usually start near the center with the first block that I have a plan for, and then the more time I spend quilting, the more ideas pop up for what to do in the next blocks. 

L was a great sport in holding this quilt for photos. No matter where we tried for a good backdrop, the wind blew in to cause havoc. She snapped this one of me holding on tightly despite the wind!

Several blocks came from/inspired by:

*Circle of geese by Beth @Piecebynumber

*Pinwheels- Sunshine and Marmalade pattern in Macalls Quikc Quilts June/July 2012 issue by Susan Guzman

*FG medallion star - Pattern from May/June ‘14 Quiltmaker; Jelly Beans 

*1 Carol Doak star

Seeing Stone

Naturally, springtime means it's time for a Star Wars themed quilt swap, this year hosted by Kristine @kcswapshost and you can go check out all the amazing quilts at #maythe4thswap2022. Star Wars swaps are such fun - which is why I can't resist!

My partner had some awesome artwork in her mosaic that I used to inspire the design for my quilt. I found the pattern for Grogu from FandominStitches and he is tiny, with some teeny pieces to boot!

I mixed the regular black fabric with the metallic print to add some extra fun, and after Grogu was complete, paper pieced the extra background space around him. I placed him on the Seeing Stone as he reaches out through the Force. It's free motion quilted, with some fun detailing across the stone, and a little bee too.

Secret swaps keep the element of surprise until you open the mail to see what lovely quilt came your way. I was thrilled to open mine and find this awesome Ahsoka mini made by @sew_some_good was for me! I love it a lot and it'll be happy as part of my mini quilt wall at home.

Update Fun Fact: Both of these quilts are featured in Make Modern Issue 47!

Happy quilting friends!