You're off to a wonderful start. The right voice will stand out one of these times!

Love the stream of consciousness that we all internalize. I do think you are right but must ask is that a brown? background or paper?? Remember, you asked and I think you are SO RIGHT! You are quilting something to commemorate a marriage. My thoughts are that the baskets are too tight and stiff, fill them with flowers, trailing vines on all sides of the heart, loosen the design. Make things lush as you are thinking of their lives together, ups and downs and ins and outs. Your work is flawless - but right now it probably reminds you as it does me of a headstone. Please forgive me if you are unhappy with my comments but I really think that is what you have thought all along about what is missing so it is driving you crazy.
You can tell me to shut up but I so want this to be the gift imbued with the love and thought and meaning you wish with the stitches saying all these things for you. I really hope this helps NOT hurts. Thank you.

Thanks! But I like needle and thread much better than pen and paper. Glad that my frustrations can make others smile Someone once said, and I can't remember who, "Complain all you want, just put it in joke form".

This is sooooo nice! It's going to be beautiful when you finish!

You could use (if you have enough) scraps for the sashing and the borders. Lights for the sashing and darks for the borders or vice versa.

The brown is a sheet that was sent along with all her husbands shirts. It does look like a brown paper bag now that you mention it and OMG his headstone is a double heart! That will just tickle her pink! I like your input and advice, it in no way offends. However I'm not sure that this quilt calls for lushness, I say that by knowing the receiver. She and her husband were simpletons, no frills kinda people. But it could be why I'm fighting with the design, I'm trying to keep it simple but what I really want is the lush. Connie's home is more folk art style, country, primitive, lots of mish mash no real style. Keeping it simple, but something she and her children will cherish and consider a treasure.

Lea, You are so funny!!! If you stop quilting, you *could* start writing, you know. But you have a good start on this, no matter what it says, !

Jan in VA

And here I thought I was the only one arguing with my quilt blocks!!!

I think I've finally convinced these batik blocks for the swap that they don't need to stay here and become a quilt of their own. I do want to make one using that block pattern but I'd like to use different fabric that I don't have to wonder if there will be enough to finish a big enough top. Had that issue with the last one.

Good luck on your project!

Beautiful work and I agree with rainsprite. Could you add some of the flowers from the center into the baskets? Or separate the basket blocks with the same leaves as in the center and make a vine? In my opinion, the flowers just look too controlled. Just my 2 cents.

So far so good.