Need opinions please

A few days ago I showed a portion of the sketch for this quilt.  Now it's quilted but it didn't turn out like I saw it in my mind.  I still like the idea.  I'll have to work more on the technique until I get it right.  My camera batteries were low so the photos look kind of washed out.  It's called "morning ritual".

I put too much stitching into the lady which drew up the fabric in those areas and created wrinkles.  Giggle.... I got carried away in stitching which often happens when I'm using the quilting machine.  I get started and don't know when to quit.  I had to put heavy quilting everywhere else to flatten it.  Putting in more stitching was easier than picking out.

I like the brightness of the colors on a black background.  There's just too much of it.  I made the mistake of going over stitching lines to make them brighter. 

I've had this idea for several years.  It all started when I would tell people  "machine quilting IS art" and "I use the quilting machine like a pencil".   Yes, I know there are many quilters doing thread painting.  Some are creating very beautiful paintings with thread and hand dyed fabrics.  I'm a little behind the times getting into thread painting.  A heavy machine quilting work schedule kept getting in the way.... until I retired.

One thing I did learn while creating this quilt it that I need to use something other than regular chalk for drawing the design on the fabric.  The chalk didn't stay and I kept loosing the lines that I was to follow.  It was the only thing I could think of for drawing on a black fabric.  None of my other marking pens could be seen on black. 

Another thing I learned is that I NEED someone to help make a tool for my quilting machine to help with back tracking.  I've asked several people to help make it but they either don't understand how important it is or else I'm not explaining it well enough.  Everyone looks at me with deer in the headlight looks and start avoiding the subject.  I've asked my son, my brother, a neighbor, a friend, and some others but I still don't have the tool I need.  I'm tired of begging people to help me get one made.  I know how it should be made and if I had the proper tools to work with metal I could make it myself.  Hmm.... Maybe a metal working class is in my future?  You think I could get away with taking only one class just to use their metal cutting/bending/drilling tools for about 30 minutes?

Well, I would love to start working on another art project but customer quilts are waiting.  Gotta finish those before I can play again.  Now that you've seen my art project....... any opinions or suggestions?