Thanks for your imput Mary, I appreciate it. I have planned to shadow quilt around the embroidery also, and then just quilt using straight lines into squares around that. I will be embroidering the *last* of the designs today - a larger panel that will go in the middle of the quilt which will include Noah and wife, the Ark, the Dove and the Sun. The panel is appliqued with a dk green with sm. white flower outlines at the bottom (repres. Mt Ararat) and blue & white batik at the top for the sky. Noah and wife are in the forground on the green, the ark is sitting on top of the hill of green fabric, and the ark, dove and sun are in the blue batik sky. All of my time so far has been used in embroidering the animals etc, but today I will begin to cut out pieces for the 9 piece blocks . Then I'll be piecing and quilting for the first time in my life.
It has taken me a long time to get this far due to health reasons, but 'slow and steady wins the race' I guess.
I think I'll press the seams on the 9 squares open and then quilt straight diagonal lines to help strengthen those blocks. Being a 'seamstress' all these years, pressing the seams to one side makes me shudder!
Red work and Blue work are perfect for quilting! Must keep that in mind.