Nesie

I think it definitely needs more quilting in the squares and definitely something on the borders. Don't have any good suggestions though - this is the part I struggle the most with.

Onebyone

I would quilt circles to represent the wheels of the tractor in the blank squares. The quilt has enough straight lines in it.

Barb in Louisiana

I would put something farm related such as corn, or wheat. Use only thread that matches the white so that it is a secondardy pattern. Do it as a white work quilting effect. I use Bing as a search engine and searched for Line drawings of farm items. The simpler the better. https://www.bing.com/search?q=line+d...5f36a93a9b329a

Iceblossom

Some of us are not particularly gifted when it comes to the quilting. I'm one of them, the piecing and planning is what I love. Can't draw to save my life. Just do not think in the 3D options of quilting. Plus, I'm just not a fan of the current style of dense quilting, I prefer a puffier batt and less quilting. My skills are getting adequate, with access to a long arm I can do quite a bit once we get the design challenge out of the way. Unfortunately, I don't have access to a long arm right now and I'm learning what to do with modern deep throat machine instead of my little old vintage Remington.

I'd keep it simple, especially with the throat size of your machine. I like the furrows idea of straight rows but I would probably alternate them, going horizontal with the tractors in one row and then vertical the other set of columns. I'd keep the thread white/matching the top including in the borders.

Even with my trusty old vintage machine I could do fancier stuff on the borders. I have vision issues and often draw my designs on parchment (not freezer) paper (dollar store carries 1x25' rolls) and then quilt through the paper which is held in place by strategically placed safety pins. Yes, you have to peel off the designs but to get a fancy border from someone who can't draw or see well, it can be pretty impressive!

Being drawing challenged I will sometimes buy pantographs. The parchment paper can be used to trace over them, in fact later today I'll be preparing the borders for my next quilting project this way. Pantographs and prepared paper patterns give me consistency that I lack, as well as show me what someone else considers a reasonable amount of quilting (which does depend on your batting).

I did a search on "farm quilting pantograph" and got some cool options.

AStitchInTime

Feline Fanatic: Great visual sample. Your quilt is beautiful, and you are so right, the quilting makes the embroidery Pop. Giving the birds and branches/leaves dimension, instead of them looking flat and lifeless.

nativetexan

I like Tartan's idea. maybe add a bit of green or red for binding, not much else color wise.

selm

How about horizontal channel(evenly spaced) quilting in the plain blocks. These would be a 'suggestion' of planted 'rows' that the tractors would make.

Mousie

I think this is a great idea!

barny

Oh, I love Felinefanatic's work. I think the quilt would pick that beautiful work up and the man would love it too. It really needs some work to keep it from going apart. Whatever you do, he will be glad.

FWLover

Having been raised on a farm and actively farming with my husband all these years (I am now 70 and still drive the combine) I would go with the plowed furrow suggestion by my-ty. That is what a freshly planted field looks like before the corn or beans come up. Then share that with the person receiving the quilt. It will be much more meaningful. I also agree you need more quilting in tractor squares. What about just doing an echo stitch 1/“ away from tractor and another line of stitching 1/4” away from edge of block.