Tuesday, November 26, 2013

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!

11 comments:

  1. Incredible! I love your video with the circles being added :)

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  2. Oh my gosh!! I love your animal mandala quilt project!

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  3. Very nice .gif work! :) It's a beautiful piece. I'm in love with one of your projects again - it's not surprising anymore is it??

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  4. That video is very cool and I sure don't know how to do it. It's going to be an amazing quilt. Good luck with the "no puckers" and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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  5. What a special quilt! I really enjoyed seeing it come together in the moving .gif, too. And your quilting? Oh my! It is gorgeous, good luck with the rest of it!

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  6. Wow - this is so unique and so much work has obviously gone into cutting out those creatures. Neat video too:)

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  7. Haha, the quilted flyer is funny (probably not so funny for you, though). Love the animated GIF. My daughter loved it, too. This is such a great idea, and well executed. Good luck!

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  8. Love the quilt so far and the gif is pretty cool. Too bad about the quilted card stock. Although it's kind of funny. :-) hope you have a great thanksgiving!

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  9. What a fascinating quilt and the GIF I have never done so kudos to you!!!!

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  10. Shannon: this quilt is amazing. And I have never done an animated GIF, so you are not last... way ahead of me. But I love what you are doing. I am always so impressed with your work. Question... if you are not cutting away the batting after quilting the animals, does that mean you will just have 2 layers of batting? I also watched your interview and it is precious. Loved it! and so glad the cannibal dinosaur has been cleared! that was worrying me... haha..

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  11. Heheh. I quilted over a bunch of yarn last week, and dragged it across the block I was working on. Cardstock, though, that's impressive! When you're in the zone it's amazing what you miss!

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