Pokey Bolton Moves On

Pokey Bolton announced that there is a shakeup at Quilting Arts. You can read the whole deal on her blog. I’d like my title to be Chief Creative Officer. I’ll get right on that.

I would have kept this news for a Various and Sundry post, since this is the perfect tidbit for that kind of post.  I didn’t want to be posting it in 3-4 weeks, however.

Creative Prompt #124: Anger

Yes, it has been an angry and busy week for me, thus the inspiration for today’s word (better late than never right?).

Controlling anger before it controls you

12 Angry Men

Anger management

Definition: Anger is an automatic response to ill treatment. It is the way a person indicates he or she will not tolerate certain types of behaviour. It is a feedback mechanism in which an unpleasant stimulus is met with an unpleasant response. (great definition, don’t you think?)

The Anger of Achilles, by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo depicts the Greek hero attacking Agamemnon. (painting)

Take charge of anger

Anger and aggression

Manage anger and overcome aggression

channel your anger

anger disorder (who knew?)

Quote: A man who has never made a woman angry is a failure in life. Christopher Morley

Quote: Always write angry letters to your enemies. Never mail them. James Fallows

Quote: “Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned,” spoken by Zara in Act III, Scene VIII.[1] (This is usually paraphrased as “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”) William Congreve (I always thought the quote was”Hell hath no fury like a woman’s anger” You get the idea, just go with it)

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and/or your blog, and how your work relates to the other responses.

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. Are you already a member? I created that spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted.

Various & Sundry #18

I can’t believe that September is over – well, nearly, anyway – already! I hope you are doing your Christmas sewing, because it will be upon us before you know it. And those of you who don’t celebrate can just stop laughing! I may get you into my sewing room as a sewing slave. 😉

Tools
Did you hear that Anna Maria Horner is the new spokesperson for Janome? They made an announcement on the new AMH/Janome collaboration site. I wonder what happened to Marie Osmond?

I thought I had mentioned True Grips to you, but I don’t see a reference on any of my previous posts. I heard about True Grips in a recent issue of Quilts & More. They often have a little page of tools and supplies, with interesting blurbs. These caught my eye, because of my experience as well as Sandy and Frances’ recent comments about slipping rulers. Sandy is slowly changing out all of her rulers to Creative Grids rulers. I also like Creative Grids rulers, because the dots on the back provide some traction. TFQ and I have talked about Creative Grids rulers. She likes them, too, except for the big branding circle in the middle of the ruler that seems to always be right where you need to line up lines. Still, I would like to replace all of my rulers with Creative Grids rulers, but it is just isn’t practical. I’d rather buy fabric.

Enter True Grips.

Supposedly they keep your ruler from slipping (after you have applied them). I have tried Invisigrip and haven’t found it to do the job. Also, it is a pain to apply. You know those times where you are trying to get 2 feet of plastic wrap out of the box, cut and applied to the giant amount of leftovers that will take over your fridge? That is how I feel when I work with Invisigrip.

True Grips are little dots that you put on the back of your ruler that supposedly give it some traction. I don’t know if they are thin or thick. I hope they are not thick, because I don’t want to have to deal with a wobbly ruler. I have a lot of square and rectangular Omnigrid rulers that I would be happy to not have to replace. I checked out the Grace Company website, prepared to buy a couple of packages. $5.95 for the True Grips and $11.95 for shipping! Now Grace Company sells quilting frames and they probably have standard shipping rates. For a large thing, $11.95 is probably a good price, but for a little thing like the True Grips, $11.95 is not so good. Even shopping crazy person that I can be, I didn’t buy them.

I asked Julie to buy them. And she did. She will post them in her store soon and you can buy them for your non-Creative Grids rulers!

BTW, Intrepid Thread Julie is being (or was) interviewed on Quilter in the Gap podcast.

Adrianne pointed me to a blog post about pricing handmade goods at the Ink & Spindle (great name, huh?). Definitely food for thought.

Out & About
Another new quilt museum joins the growing list: the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiberarts. There was an article pointed out to me by Morna McEver Golletz, Founder, President & CEO of the International Association of Professional Quilters. If I were planning a quilt trip, I guess I would hit the IQSC first and then drive to WI to see this museum and then down towards Kentucky for the AQS museum. Of course, this trip is not only just in my head, but straight out of my head as well. I would definitely do research before I left so I would hit all the quilt museums that are popping up and coming of age.

Karey Bresenhan and her cousin, Nancy Puentes, are also starting a quilt museum in Texas.

SJMQT Badge
SJMQT Badge

This is the badge that was waiting for me when I went to the reception for my quilt at the quilt museum. I wrote about how weird (in a good way) I felt seeing my quilt on a gallery wall. This badge which clearly says ARTIST contributed to the feeling. Ever since I co-hosted Creative Mojo with Mark Lipinski back in June, I have been thinking about art quilting, what it means to me and what I do. This badge was another piece in that puzzle. I keep meaning to write a blog post about my thoughts on the subject, but haven’t done it yet. What I have done is gotten back to working on a couple of art quilts. One is Kissy Fish and I am embellishing like a demon. I would really like to finish that quilt. The more I work on it, though, the more it asks for!

The Web and Social Media
I hate to be a crank, but I keep getting friend requests from people on various social media sites. This isn’t a bad thing, but I don’t know who they are or why they want to be friends. I am not a friend collector so I only want to be friends with people that I know. I always try to write a little note to the person with whom I want to be friends, even if I know them pretty well. At least they will know I am not a bot and it is really me. Am I too buttoned up?

Barbara Brackman has a wonderful Wedding Ring quilt on her blog post about the Quilt Complex. It is a wedding ring with a twist. I can see it being the type of idea that the Modern Quilters would run with. In a way, it reminds me of the more complex version of the Single Girl quilt.

Moda is having a Country Fair blog hop. I have dipped in and out, but haven’t made it a habit. Today I happened upon Barbara Brackman’s blog. It must be BB week for me! She had a chicken potholder project included in her Moda County Fair Blog post. She said that she “made several in different fabrics.” BB is very much into repros, which is not really my style. When I saw the chickens, I immediately thought of pink polka dots. I wonder how friends would like pink polka dotted chicken potholders for the entertainment value not for the decorating value! 😉

Media & Quilt World News
The Alliance for American Quilts needs volunteers at Houston to interview quiltmakers for a forthcoming book. Contact them if you can help out.

Dear Podcasters,
Please interview Ruthann from Mirkwood Designs, Toni from Silly Chick Designs and Jennifer from Patchwork and Pacifiers so we can find out how they are doing. Thank you, J.

I have been listening to some new podcasts just to expand my repertoire. I don’t really need anymore, because I am, once again, filling my iPod with audiobooks. I have found that there are things I like about podcasts and things that I don’t like:

  • I don’t mind rambling and hearing a bit about the podcaster’s life
  • I dislike self deprecation
  • I dislike needless apologies about the length of the episode; just make it however long it is, that is why I have a stop button
  • I don’t need a music intro, but it is nice when people have them
  • I like it when the podcaster introduces him/herself and says the name of the podcast. The date is nice, too, but not a requirement
  • I don’t like podfading. It worries me and makes me wish the podcasters would just say they don’t want to take the time for recording anymore
  • I like hearing opinions, though not so much about politics or religion
  • I like hearing about what you like, the products you use and the fabrics that make your heart sing
  • Thank you for introducing me to new designers and websites

And podcasters….I really appreciate the time and energy you put into your episodes. Keep up the good work!

I am interested in the new Kindle Fire. I really liked the post on the Stash Blog about books as objects, especially her quote from Anna Quindlen about building enough bookshelves.

Tsukineko Ink Test

Flower Test
Flower Test

I bought some Tsukineko inks some time ago and never had the chance to use them. As time passed, I lost my inspiration and the inks languished.

Mark Lipinski did me a real favor when I was at his house and I don’t even think he knows. He asked me about my art quiltmaking in the process of the podcast. He was trying to get to know me and, instead, he changed my focus. I had gotten away from surface design and was focusing on piecing. I don’t know why, but it was my reality. By asking me Mark made me think about art quiltmaking again.

As a result of that innocent question, I have started to go back to some older art quilt projects. I finished the beading on Kissy Fish, but before I finished, I was looking for some green beads. In searching for them, I found the inks. Soon after I was talking with Nancy and another friend and suggested that we work with these inks together. I am much better at new supplies when I have another person to work with. So we got together and tried the inks.

It was really fun. I didn’t make great art, but it was really fun.

First Test
First Test

Juicy Soul Retreat

A couple of weeks ago I went back to A Work of Heart for a Juicy Soul Retreat. I really had no idea what a juicy soul was or how it could be retreated. I went because I needed a bit of a creative change and Andrea and her good energy were just what I needed.

Andrea
Andrea

It was the right thing to do. I really enjoyed the day, got a lot done and got my head a bit straighter than it was.

Finished Cover + Marker
Finished Cover + Marker

I thought about the journal I wanted to make and wasn’t sure so I bought a new journal and brought my Purpose journal as well. I was thinking I might be able to add to that one.

One of the things that was different about this class than the other journaling classes I have attended at AWOH was that we all introduced ourselves and shared a little bit about ourselves. Some people shared why they were there-what they hoped to achieve- and others shared something about their art. My friend, though quite young, is staring retirement in the face and she was there to work on figuring out what’s next.

That struck a chord with me and I started working on the new journal. Some of the techniques for making backgrounds were similar to those I had used in other AWOH classes, but there was plenty of new stuff as well. Also, I don’t take notes in Andrea’s classes; I try to absorb the techniques, so I don’t remember some of the nuances from previous classes.

Darcy's Background
Darcy’s Background

I tried to get the backgrounds for the new journal done, but there just wasn’t enough time. It was probably a good thing. I have to remember that it isn’t about the finished product, but about the process.

The Process
The Process
AWOH Hearts
AWOH Hearts

Andrea is revamping half of her studio space and she has some of her work displayed on the new shelves there. I love the hearts. The pink background is such a wonderful pink. It isn’t too sickly sweet or light.

She has a project of her own in which she is creating 1000 houses-images of houses. I love the idea of choosing a shape and creating a series using that shape. The house shape is simple, but has a lot of possibilities. Hearts would also work. A 1000 is an amazing number of pieces of art. It is large enough to be a challenge, but also obtainable. She eventually wants to raffle the collection off to raise money for a charity.

AWOH Houses
AWOH Houses
AWOH Houses
AWOH Houses
AWOH Houses
AWOH Houses
AWOH Houses
AWOH Houses
AWOH Houses
AWOH Houses
AWOH Houses
AWOH Houses

Block-a-Long #23: Off Center 4 Patch Rectangle

Off Center 4 Patch Rectangle #23
Off Center 4 Patch Rectangle #23

This blocks is similar to the four patch and the other rectangle block I have posted, which I called Rectangle Four Patch.

This blocks is slightly off center, so the squares and rectangle are slightly different sizes than what you have been cutting.
This block is also suitable for 3 fabrics.

Off Center 4 Patch Rectangle Directions

If you have made blocks or a quilt from these patterns, please post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a-Long Flickr group. I would love to see what you have made.

Triangle Technique

The other night I caught a new episode of Love of Quilting and Jo Morton was a guest again. She was showing another technique for making half square triangles. I first became aware of Jo last year when I watched a previous episode of Love of Quilting.

Jo Morton is a fabric designer, writer and quilt designer. She has a website, where she sells, apparently, self-published, books, and a blog. She is also a designer for Andover Fabrics and has a large number of collections and projects on their site.

Based on what I saw Marianne and Jo do on the show, I tried the technique and was pleased with the results.

I got in touch with Jo, who was very quick about getting back to me, and asked whether she had technique sheets or sections in her books discussing the scalability of her techniques. She said that the market is geared towards projects and she didn’t have technique sheets. Too bad. I had trouble with her Flying Geese technique, but found the half square triangle (HST ) technique to be one of the best I have seen. It is straightforward, there is a minimum of dealing with bias and the squares magically appear all at once.

Since she didn’t have technique sheets, searched the web.  I found a similar one posted on Wet Canvas. The Wet Canvas tutorial does a good job of showing the different ways of using the half square triangles. Most of the techniques were the square method (like what I describe below, but with one square making 2 HSTs, rather than a larger square making 8 HSTs) like the p.s. i quilt tutorial. I am also interested in the Quilt in a Day method and this tutorial talks about that. B’s Modern Quilting has the fish tutorial method.

I started with 5″ squares, which is the size they used on the show. The 5″ squares make 8 HSTs. I thought this would be a great way to use charm packs.

2 5
2 5
Draw an X
Draw an X
Put 2 squares together
Put 2 squares together

First, I drew an X, corner to corner, on the lighter square. Then I put the 2 squares right sides together and pressed them. If I had wanted to pin I would have pinned far away from any of the lines. I walked on the wild side and didn’t use pins.

Next, I sewed on each side of the lines, 1/4″ away from each line

Measure 2.5
Measure 2.5

After sewing, I measured 2.5″ from the side of the square.

Cut in a + Configuration
Cut in a + Configuration

Cut the square in a plus configuration 2.5″ (middle of the X). I think you could cut on the pencil lines, but you have to cut in a plus configuration at some point and it seems to make sense to cut in the plus configuration first.

Cut in +, then X
Cut in +, then X

After you cut the plus, you will have four squares, each with a line drawn diagonally across the middle. Cut the squares in half diagonally. You can use the line as a guide. It is more important to line your ruler up corner to corner.

HSTs from 5
HSTs from 5

The result is 8 2″ half square triangles. The above are actually a thread or two larger than 2″, which leaves the perfect opportunity for trimming to make them an absolutely perfect 2″.

Trim
Trim

Trim the squares to 2″. Trim on all four sides. Don’t be tempted to trim just on two sides. Line the 45 degree angle line on your ruler up with the diagonal seam line on your HST and trim on all four sides.

Beautiful HSTs
Beautiful HSTs

Now you have 8 beautiful HSTs. The bias edges shouldn’t be scary for you on the regular method, but this method makes HSTs much easier. I think this would be a fabulous method to make a lot of HSTs in a short amount of time. It is similar to a tutorial that p.s. i quilt posted, but times 4. I am planning to try out different sized beginning squares to see what sized HSTs I come up with.

I talked over the math with my DH and came up with a chart showing the different sizes you can make with this technique.

AQ HST Size Chart

Links:

  1. Jo Morton website
  2. Jo Morton blog
  3. Jo Morton on Andover
  4. Wet Canvas tutorial
  5. Carole’s Quilting Adventures tutorial
  6. B’s Modern Quilting Fish Tutorial
  7. p.s. i quilt HST tutorial

Sampler Quilt: LeMoyne Star

LeMoyne Star
LeMoyne Star

I worked on the LeMoyne Star today. I had some work, which languished while I was out of town,so I had to do that as well, but it was great to get back to sewing a bit.

The LeMoyne Star has some tricks, but is not very difficult to piece. I took pictures as I pieced it and will work on a tutorial for a future post. The key trick is to NEVER sew into the seam allowances. I did sew into the seam allowances along the outside edge towards the end of the process, but otherwise, I stopped shy of the seam allowance, or moved it out of the way as I was sewing. My stilletto came in handy. Choosing fabrics was a key piece of the process and took longer than I expected. The ‘make visual decisions visually’ adage worked well, though, because what I thought would look good didn’t look good at all. Below are some of the choices I considered:

Alternate colorway from the Moda Bliss line
Alternate colorway from the Moda Bliss line
Dots from Quilted Fish
Dots from Quilted Fish
Bright Flowers
Bright Flowers
Another Bliss Fabric
Another Bliss Fabric
Aqua-Red Sampler Quilt Blocks -September 2011
Aqua-Red Sampler Quilt Blocks -September 2011

Above are all of the blocks I have made for the class so far. Don’t they look nice? They are hogging up space on my design wall, so I will need to take them down, but I am pleased with how they are coming out.

Mean Teacher

Dresden Plate in progress
Dresden Plate in progress

I had to be mean teacher to Frances. Do you know how hard it is to be mean to Frances? She is such a nice person and has such a lovely podcast that I found it difficult. I had to do it, though, because our class wasn’t progressing and we need to move on.

The irony is that when I spoke to her I hadn’t sewn (sewed?) down the middle circle for my DP either! I confessed and she was gracious about it. My problem is 1) I can’t decide the size of the circle I want to applique’ and 2) I can’t decide on the fabric. The 2 go hand-in-hand, I think. I thought I had figured out what I want with the lovely Little Plain Jane flowers from Michael Miller. As Lorraine Torrence says “make visual decisions visually,” so I cut one out, pinned it on (see above) and looked it. No go. I think the size of the Little Plain Jane flowers from Michael Miller is a little too big, but it might look ok in a different fabric. The fabric just wasn’t working for me in this context. I love it, don’t get me wrong, but not for the center of my Dresden Plate.

My next thought was to find another red that has a bit more white in the design and see if that works.

DP with Bliss dot circle
DP with Bliss dot circle
DP with Bliss circle
DP with Bliss circle
DP with Pimatex Basics Dot circle
DP with Pimatex Basics Dot circle
DP with an RK print, Mingle
DP with an RK print, Mingle

 

In different ways, I liked all of the choices, but I finally decided on the Mingle circle and appliqued that on.

Dresden Plate with Mingle Circle - Final
Dresden Plate with Mingle Circle - Final

Just a note about the applique’. Hand applique’ is not my strong suit. Still, I firmly believe that a quiltmaker should learn all different techniques so s/he can select the appropriate technique when making quilts. I know that Frances struggled with the hand applique’, but at least she knows how to do it. This was the hardest lesson yet, because it really requires looking at someone actually doing the applique’. Frances is a trooper for trying.

Creative Prompt #123: Butterfly

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.
~Irish Blessing
(quotegarden.com)

Post the direct URL (link) where your drawing, doodle, artwork is posted (e.g. your blog, Flickr) in the comments area of this post. I would really like to keep all the artwork together and provide a way for others to see your work and/or your blog, and how your work relates to the other responses.

The Creative Prompt Project, also, has a Flickr group, which you can join to post your responses. Are you already a member? I created that spot so those of you without blogs and websites would have a place to post your responses. Please join and look at all of the great artwork that people have posted.

A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, the butterflies and moths.  (Wikipedia)

Madame Butterfly

Butterfly Restaurant, Pier 33 San Francisco

Butterfly table tennis and ping pong accessories

butterfly garden

the butterfly effect

Monarch

butterfly wings

 

FOTY 2011 Triangles – Mid September

Mid Sept Triangles
Mid Sept Triangles

Mid September already! The CQFA Retreat has been set, so now I have a working deadline. I am pretty good in the fabric washing department. The cutting of triangles for fabrics I have used this year (already in my fabric closet) has been spotty. I am not going back to make that up and will try and do better. No promises. It will be what will be.

WIP Wednesday

Some of the blogs do a feature every week called WIP Wednesday where they show a work in progress. I don’t want to do that every week, but somehow this week it seems appropriate.

Original Bullseye
Original Bullseye

This is the project that started the whole Bullseye project. This has been on my mind lately, for some reason that I don’t know. I always planned to do a border with curves in it, so it would look like a curve was going all the way around the quilt. I found directions. I have a test piece and I just decided that was not the way to go.

This quilt doesn’t lend itself to the self bordering technique. I have a lot of leftover circles that I could use in some way, but I don’t know what way. Aside from slapping on some borders and calling it good, I don’t have any ideas. Do YOU have any ideas? Even a little spark would be helpful. Let me know.

Book Review: Layer Cakes, Jelly Rolls & Charm Packs

Jelly Roll, Layer Cake & Charm QuiltsJelly Roll, Layer Cake & Charm Quilts by Pam Lintott

This is almost a pure project book and I wouldn’t have picked it up if Frances and Sandy hadn’t talked about it over and over. Frances has definitely made my favorites from the quilt projects in this book.

There is a lot to like about this book. There are a variety of patterns for every skill level. The authors clearly state how many precuts are needed to make the quilt. A lot of the quilts have colors that really appeal to me, but there are also reproduction and more muted fabrics used, so that the book covers a lot of bases in terms of tastes in fabric. Almost every quilt is made twice with the second quilt using very different fabrics. I like this aspect, because it is hard for me not to be influenced by the fabric choices in the photos. Seeing a second quilt in different colors reminds me to the design of the quilt rather than the colors.

There are small introductions to each quilt, which are similar, if not as detailed, as the color stories in The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking. They suggest other options, talk about the fabrics chosen and encourage the quiltmaker, as in the description of Little Houses (pg.102-109) where the pieces are on the small side.
One pattern I can’t get out of my mind is Stepping Stones, pg.72-79. It is one of the more complex patterns and it  includes four patches, so what is not to like? 😉 If I made it, I would want to use fabric on hand, so I have spent some, otherwise unpleasant commute time, daydreaming about various color variations, cutting strategies, etc.  Using fabric on hand (I am thinking green. I have lots of green I don’t use much)  would I start cutting 10″ squares and then start the quilt when I was finished cutting them? Would I cut half green 10″ squares and half cream or another light? Three quarters green and a quarter light? There is a lot of piecing in this this pattern and there are some areas in the example quilt that could use a bit more contrast.

I liked the border on the Raspberry Ripple quilt (pg.14-17) because it has the ‘self-bordering’ effect that I like so much. It fits well into the design of the quilt and finishes some of the motifs, which really completes the overall design. High Flying Geese (pg.30-35) is very similar to Serendipity Puzzle, a classic Dutchman’s Puzzle pattern. The colors are so fresh and appealing in the Lintott version that I would consider making another version just because I am inspired by that freshness.

Some of the blocks in the book are so easy and so large that you could do a quilt really quickly. Those quilts don’t appeal to me, but I know they might appeal to others. Some of the photos aren’t very crisp. I was disappointed in the photo of Damask Rose (pg.48-53), because the piecing is very hard to see with the fabrics the authors chose. This is one of the more complicated quilts and I would want to show off the piecing. It may be that the authors wanted a soft chintz feel to the quilt. This is also one of the few quilts in the book that does not have a second colorway.

Hexagon Hip Hop (pg.64-71) is version of a hexagon quilt, like the Attack of the Hexies quilts, but using half hexagons. It has a really interesting and well thought out border that fits the overall design. I also like that the second colorway shows how nice a gift a hexagon quilt would make for that special guy (dad, brother, etc) in your life.

If you want a wide variety of patterns to use with Jelly Rolls and other precuts, then you might enjoy this book.

View all my reviews, including non-quilt related reviews

Block-a-Long #22: Square House

Square House #22
Square House #22

I have house blocks on my mind this week.

Chris from Quilt Bits sent me the directions to make a cover for a composition book. I bought one to test the directions (which I am sure are perfect!), but haven’t done it yet.

DH & I thought that having a book where we could write things about the house would be a good idea. I further thought that I would use Chris’ directions to make a cover for the composition book and incorporate a Liberated Quilting house block into the cover. I haven’t done it yet, but that whole thought process led me to the name for this block.

PDF Directions for Square House #22

If you have made blocks or a quilt, post a link in the comments section of the relevant block or on the AQ Block-a=Long Flickr group.

Food Quilt, part 2

Full top sans borders
Full top sans borders

As I mentioned in a previous post, back in July, this quilt is all about the fabric. I got down to it over Labor Day weekend and made the top. I still need to add borders, but the top is basically done.

You can see that the Disappearing 9 patch block means that there is an automatic border on two sides of the quilt. I don’t want a border on two sides of the quilt. I want the border (a border in this case) to be symmetrical, so I added a row of rectangles and squares.

Giant Food 9 Patch
Giant Food 9 Patch
Giant Food 9 Patch #2
Giant Food 9 Patch #2

 

These blocks actually are quite large. Each square in the block is 6.5″. Once you cut them into quarters they become a manageable size.

I was consistent about placement of red and black, so that the red would end up as cornerstones and the black would be the sashing. I fiddled around with the arrangement quite a bit, as I am wont to do. I wanted to vary the food prints that were next to each other as well as the location of the blacks.

Arranging
Arranging

This is what you get once you cut a 9 patch block into quarters and rearrange them. In fairness and honesty, the above are quarters from 4 different 9 patches. You would see the same red, if they were from the same 9 patch, but you get the point. Even if this was from the same 9 patch, there would be variety, because of the different blacks and the different focus fabrics.

Chunkin' It
Chunkin' It

Per TFQ’s instructions, I did chunk this quilt together. That method of putting together quilts works so much better for me than sewing blocks together in rows. I also find it easier to keep my blocks placed where I want them placed.