Working on "Star Canvass"

With a few large quilts under my belt and several smaller projects, I decided to make a wall hanging to go with "Interlude" that would give me a canvass to practice more free motion.  This is what I came up with.

I have already worked through all the aqua/rust colored squares with a paisley design.

Currently I am working through the large white squares with a floral design.

There are ten white squares.  I am done with 6, working on the 7th.

Flower done, pebbling comes next.

I am liking the look so far.  Several months ago, I did not think I could even make any object that would be recognizable in free motion.   With each quilting project done, I step back and ask myself what worked, what did not.  What would make the process better, easier, and more enjoyable?  And ultimately, what can I quilt.  What can "I" quilt that will look decent.  Even good?  Perhaps great?  I am finding that busy fabrics are not my friend.  I need to free motion with a contrasting thread in order to see what I am doing.  I didn't use contrasting threads at first because I wanted to hide all the ugly stitching.  But with several large projects finished, I have been feeling much bolder.  And as I look at "Star Canvass," I think, "This is where I am at right now.  This is what I can do."  And it is SO MUCH MORE than what I could do even last month so I am happy.  Is there room for improvement?  Yes, definitely.  But I am enjoying the process.

My husband says the stitching looks awesome!  But then he has said that all along.  Even from the beginning.  I called him out for being too nice.  I said, "Tell me the truth."  He said it was the truth.  On this project, he did say that it was far and away my best work.  I accept that.

I keep thinking all these projects are just practice for that great quilt I will make one day.  And I have some pretty good ideas of what that great quilt will look like.