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The idea for this quilt came from a library book: Wise Craft Quilts by Blair Stocker. In one chapter the design element of value, the lightness or darkness of colors, was featured. The suggestion of using lots of assorted fabrics suited Ellen's goals. While making masks during the pandemic, she set aside scraps that fit the sizes needed. Over the next three years, the dark, medium, and light values were cut and sewn into half-square triangles.

While teaching art at Cleveland Central Catholic High School for four decades, Ellen always discussed other meanings of the term value with one being the importance of people and events in one’s life. The quilt has scraps from her college wardrobe and birthday gifts for family members. There are prints from her mother’s stash, and remnants from theatre costumes and volunteer sewing training. Along with the main goal of using accumulated scraps, Ellen bought a few fabric quarters at quilt shows to fit her bedroom’s color scheme. Blocks were assembled at monthly Sewing Thugs sessions, and her nephew’s pool table became a substitute design wall. The Quilting Bee supplied a choice of backing and binding fabrics.