Finished FMQ

I have been working for well over a month, on and off, on the FMQ  for this blue batik quilt from a laser pre-cut kit. I own a sit-down Handi-Quilter Sweet Sixteen. There is no loading of the quilt but I do work much more slowly, both because of my skill level and because of my indecisiveness on patterns. Then again we did have Thanksgiving happening in there also, with its associated house full of guests for a week. The five grandkids are ages 6, 4½, 3⅓, 2½, and 7 months.

In my post for October 24, 2018 I'd begun FMQ with the four lobed petal type motif. They are found in the segmented shapes that were one eighth of a donut. 

In my post for November 29, 2018 I continued the FMQ by deciding what to do in the horn shaped areas so they looked less like horns and more like leaves. I settled on spirals in one half and parallel slightly curved lines in the other half.

Last, I did the concentric circles in the donut centers. I knew I wanted that look but was afraid to go for it since I typically am shaky on arcs of a specific radius. The petal arcs were easier since they changed curvature throughout and were not so exact.

I wound up using a compromise of rulers for the 5" and 3" and 1" circles where I could trace on the inner surface. This is the HQ Half Circle Template I used. Odd dimensions use the inner curves and even dimensions use the outer curves. I free-handed the 4" and 2"  arcs in-between since using the outer curve of the ruler is more prone to detouring from the desired path. 

For the half circles around the edges I added more petal-like motifs. I did not want to deal with  rulers so close to the edge.

I finished the quilting on this one but still have left the binding and label but first have to decide a name to put on the label. I rejected Wheels and Webs, and Petalmania per my October 24, 2018 post. This post I am considering Roundabout since the donut shapes remind me of a traffic rotary. I also went round and round about the FMQ pattern. That name still does not feel quite right though so my quest continues.

When I do not have a quilt name throughout a series of posts about a quilt it is difficult to reference. It is awkward to keep saying "that blue batik laser cut quilt kit that I bought in Houston when I was there with my daughter in 2017". My husband suggested I name it My Blue Quilt. That name may be the leading contender thus far. Linking up with Main Crush Monday #141 and Let's Bee Social #252.