This started out as a quilting design.  Since all my machine quilting is hand guided, I draw things out on paper before I “draw” it with my machine.  The large flowers are acting as applique shapes.  The smaller “stitches” are what we call background “fills”.  Since the goal is to stop and start as little as possible, ideally the designs need to be continuous line drawings.  So when I drew it, I tried not to lift up my pen from start to finish.  Sometimes I may need to backtrack a little over previously stitched lines, but not often.  

Coloring the quilt design with watercolors really makes it come alive.  If I were to quilt this, I’d have to do it a little larger.  Quilting this densely  takes a lot of  practice, a lot of patience and a lot of time.  It’s only reserved for those very special quilts and is really a labor of love.

Watercolor on Arches 140 lb cold pressed paper,  7″ x 9″