Quilting Around the Letters

Ok, I admit I cheated and spent just a a bit of time on my tie project today. But it was just a reward for putting in time machine quilting on my Chinese Poem quilt. I was surprised that the quilting was so tedious. I didn't have much of a plan when I sat down, and settled on quilting around the leaves in the batik with invisible thread. I was a little concerned about quilting over the poem I'd inked, but the invisible thread did not obscure it like a colored thread would have. (Click on picture for larger view.)

I'd only intended to quilt that way between the trees and along the bottom. I thought I had other plans for the sides and top, but now I'm not so sure. It just seemed natural to continue quilting around the leaves and the painted faces. I should be able to finish up tomorrow, and we'll see what I decided about adding some black accents.