Doodling On Quilts

I seem to be my most creative when I’m procrastinating.  I was working on quilting a clients quilt and the thread kept breaking and it was frustrating me trying to figure out what was the problem, so I stepped away and started to clean up my fabric piles on the cutting table.  At the bottom of the pile were a few "mini quilts” destined for nothing.  I had made them up and wasn’t happy with them and ultimately would have probably just tossed them (terrible, I know!).  Instead, I went to my desk and grabbed a fine tipped pen and got to doodling quilting designs. 

I didn’t take a before picture, but seeing this blank half you get the general idea of the ‘before’.  The white just wasn’t working for me as the background here.  It was too stark. 

Now this I like.  The doodles fill in the white space nicely and give it lots of interest.  It doesn’t necessarily look fantastic with this, but it’s much more interesting and I’m looking forward to finishing the other half and having it hang on my walls with my other mini’s. 

It’s mostly just doodles of the designs I quilt on my quilts.  I love doodle quilting.  I am hoping to do a whole cloth quilt this coming year, just doodling without a plan. 

So this is another one I had sitting around.  I was trying out an idea to see if it would work and this had no plans.  It was just a tester.  Again, the white was just too much on this, but I took a permanent marker and filled it in and I am very happy with this.  I think the doodles fit the fabric nicely.  This one is now on the walls and being enjoyed.

Originally I had just done some stitching with red thread around the open circle and then the outside edges of the piece.  I was testing out another way of doing reverse applique I like.  My attempt worked.  This would have made the perfect pot holder/trivet if I had only used some insul-brite. 

And here’s my little Norman (6 months now) in his USPS box next to my sewing table.  Sometimes I have to load sample fabric and do some test quilting to get my tension right on the longarm, or to test a design and I shoved a few of those in the box for him.  Quite often I find him all curled up in here when he goes missing in the house.  I’m so glad he likes his little bed.  I suppose I’ll have to make him a real bed at some point.

Update: Regarding the quilt block name...I don't know.  I will have to research it and get back to you.  I don't remember where I saw this, but I know it was a picture and I just drafted the measurements myself.  It's a traditional block so it's out there somewhere.