un-sewing

It's been over a week since I've had a chance to work on this quilt and I need to finish it up in the next few days to give to the recipient.
I got it layered and pinned and ready for quilting. I decided against using a colorful thread...it's colorful enough. I am using a very light green thread for quilting.

I practiced quilting a swirl design on a scrap until I felt like I could do it well enough on the actual quilt.  What I didn't do was practice the design BIG enough. When I started quilting the quilt I realized the stitched lines are so close together that it was making the quilt stiff instead of soft and drapey.

I kept going with it a little while longer but I knew I wouldn't be happy with a stiff quilt...so I am picking all those stitches out.

It will take FORever...but I think I can still get it finished.  I will switch back to using the meandering design I have been using for quilting. That will be faster since I'm used to it.

I think the problem is  that my practice scrap needs to be bigger so I can practice making larger designs. This one I have been using is only about 12" x 24" and that makes me sew smaller shapes.

Really the practice could be done mostly with paper and pencil.  It's just getting your brain and your hands trained to make the design...before you try it on your quilt!