Need help on how to quilt this
 

This is to be a gift for my son-in-law who is a big deer hunter. I'm stumped as how to quilt. My original idea was to do leaves in the background.

My next idea was to do a stipple, but I don't have a since of how large that should be, large like an over all quilt would be but skipping the applique? or small as in block by block.

Anyway, my brain is hurting and I've got another one just like it to do for my son. I'm hoping some of you might lend a hand. Or your brain, in this case. :)

Thanks in advance

Dray

This is such a cool looking quilt! Have you thought about echoing all around the deer? I would at least outline them and the leaves are a good idea too. I hope you will show it to us when you are done.

Thanks Mike's girl. I will

So far I've just quilted really close to the applique, so that it will pop out. But blocked about what next.

Are they needle turn applique or do they need to be anchored down with stitching?
I do different techniques depending on the top.
I do like the idea of echo quilting or leaves.

Stunning quilt! I only do edge to edge. so that's what I would do. But highlighting the deer through quilting does seem like a great idea. It'll be a terrific quilt no matter how you quilt it, and it will be loved.

Would echo the deer and stipple all round each deer, big stipple.

Raw edge and fused
 

It's a raw-edge applique. I just fused it with light weight heat&bond and then did a blanket-stitch edging to each applique prior to sandwiching it to the batting/backing.

As for quilting, I've ditch-stitched each block and very closely quilted next to the applique.

Its beautiful! I like your leaf idea to keep it outdoor related.

I would outline each deer and then crosshatch the quilt (skipping over the deer). I have a quilting stencil that has crosshatching in a diamond pattern.

My original thought like so many others is to quilt around the deer.

How about echoing the deer and then crosshatching since you have to get the deer in the cross hairs.

lovely quilt... Crosshatch would be nice as well as a meander. It may come down to whichever you feel most comfortable with and how time consuming either would be. Can't wait to see the finished quilt.

How about echoing around each deer and do a few more echoes an eighth or quarter inch apart out towards the edge of the square.

Lovely quilt! I like what you've done so far, and really like the idea of leaves around the deer. If the deer are large, you may need to add some quilted details within the appliques. Don't deer have a white bib? You could quilt in a bib line on each one, maybe eyes, nose, etc.

I like Maniac's idea of crosshatching.

I think the leaves would be good. This is such a neat guy quilt. You don't want to do too much that would take away from the deer.

Echoing would look nice.

Thank you everyone for you ideas. I decided to cross hatch around the deer. However, it took me FOREVER to do the marking. My time was running out (it was a christmas gift) so I wound up doing 1/2 of the cross hatch. LOL I did the slanted line in one direction and then stopped. Oddly enough I turned out GREAT! My son-in-law loved it.

Thanks for your suggestions!