WIP: Update on the Mandala

I've been working pretty hard on my mammal mandala lately and haven't really stopped to blog much!  Lucky for you that means you'll be spared a few intermediate in-process posts.  Inspired by something I noticed during one of Caryl Bryer Fallert Gentry's lectures, I decided I'd try to take pictures of this from the same angle at a bunch of different developmental stages (do I sound like an embryologist?).  I'm probably the last person in the whole of internet land to try it, but here's my very first animated GIF documenting my progress so far.

And, in case you want to take a look at it without all the flashing, here's the final frame alone.

I decided I wanted to quilt the animals first on a single layer of cotton batting prior to layering with wool batting and the backing.  I think (hope) it'll give a sort of faux trapunto look in the end, but we'll see.  I'm not going to cutaway around the animals, so I'll have to get all the background quilted down tightly!

I'm headed to New Mexico for Thanksgiving and want to baste the whole thing together on my mom's long arm (to hopefully avoid any dreaded puckers), so I needed to get the first round of quilting (with the single layer of batting) done first. I spent all weekend on it, and aside from pretty sore shoulders and upper back, it went ok.  Unfortunately, at some point I quilted over this flyer which must have fallen off my bulletin board.  I'm not sure if you can tell, but it's cardstock and is pretty densely quilted down.  Ripping it out (the flyer not the quilting) is on my list, but will not be fun.

Anyhow, wish me luck with the no puckering on the back!  I'm going to link up with Nina-Marie and Lee as usual.  Have a great week everyone!