When I started my quilting journey about 20 years ago, I made a couple of traditional quilts. I learned to sew the blocks and arrange them. Patterns are a main design element of traditional quilts, as the repeating blocks are put together to form patterns. Often, secondary and tertiary patterns emerge that rely on the arrangement of the colors in the blocks.

 I still am drawn to the simplicity of a nine-patch pattern or a log cabin pattern. The repeating of shapes in a regular grid is so pleasing and satisfying to the eye.

These days, my main techniques are gestural mark-making and surface design on fabric. The results do not at all adhere to an overall pattern. But even these fabrics that I make are sometimes cut up into regular shapes and arranged in a grid, to tame the chaos, so to speak.

There are so many patterns that I like: stripes, checkerboards, dots, and triangles. I will have fun incorporating some of my favorite patterns into one piece. The challenge will be to restrain myself to not have an overwhelming visual mess!