Originally Posted by
Tartan
Very cute! I agree with cross hatching the background but it will be a pain with all the stops and starts as not to go through the appliqués.
You don't
have to make all the stops and starts, you could always take a giant stitch on the back to move to the next row over, or go under the applique to the other side.
Alex Anderson teaches a neat trick for how to move the needle from one spot to another. With the needle, you take a giant stitch (under the quilt top, but above or in the batting, don't go all the way to the backing) in the direction you want to go, and bring the needle up almost all the way out of the fabric. Pivot the needle so the point is up in the air pointing towards your face but the eye is still under the fabric. Then push it back down so the
eye of the needle is leading the thread under the fabric. Push the needle, eye first, through the quilt top in the spot you want it to be, and pull it through.