Let's have fun with this one:
One of my favorite YouTube quilters is a gentleman named Mark Darrell, aka "The Quilting Marine." Mark took up quilting to help deal with PTSD. He says that while quilting is not a substitute for therapy, it is a way to pour his energy into something constructive when dark thoughts crowd in. I learned about him from a couple of interviews he did for Missouri Star Quilt Company and Just Get It Done Quilts.
I am inspired by his style because he freely admits that he doesn't necessarily follow all the rules of quilting, yet he still produces colorful intricate quilts. His attitude is essentially "If you don't like how I do things, my channel is not for you. Move on." He posts when he can, doesn't chase the mysterious YouTube algorithm, and is very down-to-earth. He signs off his videos with the phrase, "Remember, it's only fabric and it's only thread." I like that; it removes the pressure of perfection and make the quilting process a fun learning experience.
I painted a pizza pan with the best representation of camouflage I could muster and created the vinyl cutout on my Cricut.
I hope to have the opportunity to meet the Quilting Marine someday. If not, I hope this project at least honors his quilting philosophy.
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