Ready - Set - Go!!!

Getting things ready to go is a bit like working a real job on a Friday before an anticipated weekend. I know what I have to do, it's not really fun, but it's worth it to get to the part I really look forward to... The quilting.
I work from the middle of the quilt outward in this quilt securing process using monofilament thread top and bottom. A few tips on monofilament:
Bobbin: wind the bobbin slowly... i.e. no peddle to the metal heavy foot. Doing so will stretch your monofilament and promote breakage during quilting.
Top thread.. lower the top tension to almost nothing. This thread seems even lighter than even 100 wt thread so little top thread tension is called for.
I do just enough stitching around painted elements to secure the front to back allowing me to remove some of the pins, later making quilting easier to take on.
Don't get too carried away by going around everything. It's just not necessary and frankly, you'll get bored and maybe even sloppy by doing it all.

NEXT UP... THE real FUN... QUILTING!
On a piece that will have significant amounts of quilting.. you'll likely get better results by working from the middle of the quilt outward in all directions. So.. I first want to begin in the middle of the Sea Dragons body. Remember though that I just finished working with monofilament thread where I reduced top thread tension to almost nothing. Now I'm moving to a 40 wt thread that will require me to return top tension to somewhere around middle of the road. So don't forget to test thread tension on a play sandwich before working on your real piece.
I'm choosing to begin with the yellow body using simple graceful near straight lines. Why nearly straight lines???? Mostly because I know the water background will be full of curves/waves. The minds eye will appreciate something more simple in nature.
You'll see here that since I started in the center and worked one direction outward, I'll need come back and continue working from the center outward to the left.
Time Out for me...
I come to Sedona each year for 2 reasons: 1)Exclusive time with my art and 2) Time with the spirituality, energy, and inspiration that lives in this jewel of nature! So, I need time out to go do some of No. 2. The sun is now out and spring abounds. Til later