Walking the Bat

Started working on new Halloween designs now that I have wrapped up the Little Snowballz line. Some of the very first designs I ever had published were ghosts, and last year  I ran across a file of several that I had started the charting process but had not finished. 

"Walking Jack" was last year's ghoulie.

This year I did what I suppose you could call a companion piece called "Walking the Bat". I stitched the 2010 installment over two threads on Wichelt Imports Orange hand-dyed Jobelan. The finished size is 107w x 88h. 

"Walking the Bat" uses the new Kreinik holographic braids as well.

"Walking the Bat"  Carolyn Manning Designs 2010

Summer Meditation: First of the Seasonal Mandalas

I finished the first of the four miniature mandalas I have designed for cross stitch. This is Summer Mediation and is stitched over two threads on a lime hand-dyed jobelan from Wichelt Imports. I used DMC floss and two of Kreinik's new holographic blending filaments.  I am going to start Spring Mediation next. This piece was intended to be Spring, but once stitched the colors spoke much more to me of summer and the sun, the vibrant blooming of flowers once they've worked past sprouting and first buds.

Meditation II --The Mandala Series

Yesterday I found a good chunk of stitching time and was able to finish up Meditation II of my Mandala Series.  I stitched this on 14ct. Lavender Sunset Jobelan Aida from Wichelt Imports and I tried out Kreinik's new holographic metallics.The piece finishes at 72w x 72h. 

The holographic threads did not seem to pop as much as I thought they should, but once I got the whole piece done, the effect was very nice as they did catch the light and also reflected the colors next to them.

I have started Thomas of the Little Snowballz series. A couple more days of class and then I should be able to really dig into finishing up the line over the summer.

A few late nights have been spent with playing around with the fabric line as well, and I think I have stumbled on a concept with wildflowers and herbs.  My goal is to have the first part of this done and ready to send off for consideration by mid-June.

Stuart of the Little Snowballz

Finished another of my Little Snowballz series. His name is Stuart and he is stitched over two threads on Wichelt Imports 28ct. hand-dyed Jobelan. I just love this color. It reminds me of sherbert! It does not come up as brightly as it really is with the scan, but trust me that it is really very 'lime'. The other two brighter colors of the hand-dyed do too, the orange and the lemon. Very yummy colors.

Stuart finishes at 72x98 and like the other Little Snowballz only uses a handful of floss colors. Next in line for stitching, Tomas, but I think I might start another mandala now that I have the Kreinik holographic threads at my fingertips.

I am also working on some smaller mandalas that can be rolled up and tucked away in a purse or where ever one might wish to keep them for easy access when you need to find your center.