How should I quilt this baby panel?
 

Hello!

I bought this panel at Joann's today for my soon to be born great-grandson. My grandaughter said her colors would be navy and mint and I luckily found this perfect panel.

I've never quilted a panel before, so what are your recommendations? I could stitch in the ditch around to blocks or do an overall FMQ. The only FMQ I have done so far is a meandering stitch. I would be willing to try loops and hearts.

Do I add to it in any way? I bought the plaid flannel for backing.

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that's really cute! I'd probably put that plaid around as the border just like you show it and then "SID" around the blocks/borders and then around the whales. Then around the top and bottom whale blocks I'd maybe so swirls that would be like waves and on the solid blue whale block (to divide it up) I'd just do straight lines fro the navy border to navy border . But I wouldn't actually quilt the whales, just around them so it looked like applique. On the plaid border I'd just follow the plaid design, maybe about every other row?

I didn't realize that Joanne's had such cute panels.

Cute panel.

do waves in one background and one with water lines like in lily pad/pond quilts. not sure of the third one but something similar yet different. bubbles maybe. cute quilt.

Thanks! The plaid you see is part of the panel. I bought additional plaid for the backing. I like your suggestions and will try to follow them. Thanks!

Cute panel-I was thinking wave lines around the whales to make it look like they are swimming in the ocean and maybe cross hatching in the big squares. Just a thought. Please share with us when you have it finished. I am sure it will be adorable what ever you do to finish.

Thank you! I will.

What color thread? Navy blue? One color throughout?

really really nice