It's starting to come together nicely

I had these areas between what I've been calling train tracks for want of a better word. I tried the echo meandering thingy and bouncing curves of each side.
I also tried adding dome circles (just roughly to get an impression) and some small freehand feathers. These train tracks are about an inch apart.

I think the echo meandering looks the best so I'll go with that.
I also tried the curves on the grid going width ways. Nah, doesn't look as good. I am pleased with how it looks with the alternate diamonds with trapunto behind them.
I might even get to start on the real thing tomorrow, that's scary this quilt has been so long in the planning that I'm a little afraid of messing it up (gulp).

And another sample today

Today I did a couple more samples and had a play. I couldn't resist doing a Patsy Thompson feather (they are much quicker to do than my normal ones) This one was done using Madeira Polyneon in a pastel variegated colour. I used a 90 embroidery needle for this thread. The background is the YLI Silk 100# again with a 60 Microtex needle. If you recognise the background as Mc Tavishing, take another look. It gives the same swirly impression but without all that bothersome backtracking.
Then I played with different infills for the grid work on the wholecloth. I tried just doing some basic stippling (too boring), then I tried some mini feathers (and I do mean mini, those diamonds are 1"), they looked good except the spines of the feathers developed a line from one diamond to the next. I quite like the swirls and I like the way the curves alternate directions in the rows, a sort of wave like look.

And I've even managed to fit in some cutting away of the batting time. Still a very long way to go on this..... And I've yet to start on the big sample so I can decide whether the alternate diamonds in the grid shall be padded or not.

It's good to be back at my machine. Like coming home,