Dream Big

Part 1

I've had this Dream Big panel for a while. I picked it up because it seemed everyone was doing it.

I found a piece of leftover backing fabric that was wide enough to user and I picked my threads. I wanted to blend the thread with the petals so I pulled seven different thread colors. 

I used a double layer of batting and basted the entire panel before beginning. I don't usually baste, finding I get a better result without basting. 

I started in the middle. 

If you look at all the different versions of this panel, both in color and quilting, you'll see so much variation. I looked at none of those while planning my quilt. I worked color by color, petal by petal, until I was done. 

I tried to use a different quilting motif on each petal. It wasn't easy, and I needed my stack of free-motion quilting books to get some inspiration. I'm breaking this post into two because it's just too many photos. Look for the second part next Wednesday.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Fiskars Micro-Tip Scissors, 5 Inch
Hoffman Fabrics Hoffman Digital Dream Big 43'' Floral Panel (I didn't see a panel in the colors I have, but there are loads of options)

Books in my Library (affiliate links):
Free-Motion Quilting Idea Book: • 155 Mix & Match Designs • Bring 30 Fabulous Blocks to Life • Plus Plans for Sashing, Borders, Motifs & Allover Designs Spiral-bound 
Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters: Choose & Use Quilting Designs on Modern Quilts
Beginner’s Guide to Free-Motion Quilting: 50+ Visual Tutorials to Get You Started • Professional-Quality Results on Your Home Machine
Shape by Shape Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters: 70+ Designs for Blocks, Backgrounds & Borders
Shape by Shape, Collection 2: Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters - 70+ More Designs for Blocks, Backgrounds & Borders
Graffiti Quilting: A Simple Guide to Complex Designs (no longer available through Amazon but you can buy it directly from the designer)
Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts