The top is done - not!

Here is the center block to my mandala quilt.   Chickadee look-a-likes are comprised of yin yangs and so is the very center.  (Birds make their nests in circles).  The outer leaves and buds are an unknow plant I had collected and dried.  I think this block is awfully cute if I do say so myself.

This is the last block:  Wild blueberries.  I do love blueberries (my second quilt lately that features them) - but I also wanted to bring  some blues into this quilt. 

I sewed all the blocks together yesterday and pinned the top to the wall.  I had not anticipated adding borders or any other applique.... until I looked at the whole top.  It obviously needs borders and I think some vines and leaves throughout the brown fabric borders.  This means it's back to the drawing board as I'm not just going to slap some border fabric on and call it a day.  I have to come up with something to frame the quilt without taking away from the mandala designs.  No doubt it will be pieced - but probably not more applique in that outer border. 

For most of my quilts, I never plan the border until the top is done.  Then I just need to keep looking at it until something just hits me.  Even then, it's a lot of redoing until I get it right.  If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, throw them my way! 

Back to work....