Fiber on a Whim

This project involved so much cutting to get it to the ordered size! Now it is moving on to a whole bunch of stitching! It won't hit people's hands for a little bit as it works through the studio. In the meantime, we get to look at stacks of green fabric. One employee wanted some extra hours. She got her wish with this project, but I think she may be questioning it later. 😂

Sunday Morning Stitching: This is still the only thing I have worked on in the week. I should be able to finish it by mid-week, I think. I have enjoyed stitching on this design. I looked forward to each Monday's design drop.

What are you working on?

Design: It's Halloween Mystery SAL by
Fabric: Affogato 32ct Belfast
Threads: Called for Classic Colorworks & DMC

Yipppppeeeeee......we are so excited to announce that we now have 56ct Kingston available for shops to order. We have been getting asked for it for a while. We were finally able to get it without the chemical finish that can skew colors a bit. We will have a very limited quantity/color selection that shops can purchase during Needlework Marketplace. Otherwise, shops can start ordering at any point.

Sunday Morning Stitching: I didn't get too much stitching time this week. It was a week. I'm glad it is done, and we are prepping for a new one. Fingers crossed, this one goes smoother. In the meantime, I'm going to sit with my coffee, do some stitching, and enjoy some of the Olympics coverage. I hope Peacock carries the replays for a while so I can see a bunch more of it.

What are you working on? What events at the Olympics have you enjoyed watching?

Design: It's Halloween Mystery SAL by
Fabric: Affogato 32ct Belfast
Threads: Called for Classic Colorworks and DMC

It really is amazing to see the look cheesecloth can give you in art quilts. This is gorgeous! 😍😍😍

Reposted stitch collage
Untitled (for now), not quite finished (I think)
16”x16”

Thrifted cotton napkin, hand-dyed cheesecloth (from )hand-dyed scrap textiles and thread (from )

As I am slowly returning to my fiber arts, re-organizing materials and workspace, I come across much work that is almost finished. Some just needs figuring out mounting, how to be displayed. Some just needs a little more tending. Some just needs air and light and contemplation.

Sunday Morning Stitching: I didn't get much stitching time this week. The only thing I worked on was the Halloween SAL. I finished up the first block and started the ghost. I'm going to sit and watch some of the Olympics coverage as I work on that ghost. Let's see how much I accomplish before the third clue comes out tomorrow!

What are you working on?

Design: It's Halloween Mystery SAL by Luminous Fiber Arts
Fabric: Affogato 32ct Belfast
Threads: Called for Classic Colorworks & DMC

Sunday Morning (I mean Afternoon) Stitching:

Here are all the things I have stitched on this week. Three of them are SALs, and only one is up to date. 🤷‍♀️ So many fun stitchy projects with so little time. 😂

What are you working on?

Pic 1-
Design- Nightshade Bird by
Fabric- Cappuccino 32ct Belfast
Threads- Called for DMC

Pic 2:
Design- It's Halloween SAL by
Fabric- Affogato 32ct Belfast
Threads- Called for Classic Colorworks and DMC

Pic 3-
Design- Star of Wonder SAl by
Fabric- Small Potatoes 28ct Cashel by
Threads- Hand-dyed floss by FOAW

Pic 4-
Design 324 by
Fabric- Milk & Honey 32ct Belfast
Threads- Called for DMC

Adventures in Dyeing Episode 720: It really can be tough when you don't notice an extra bit of thread when cutting, especially when it isn't flagged as a flaw. When you dye it, though, that extra tuft of thread really wants to show you its attitude. You can see it in the second picture! A loose or bumped up thread is not perfectly woven and will let go in the dye process. This color/count is now back on the dye schedule for a redo as it had this in two spots. Making no portion able to be saved. 🤦‍♀️🥺

Sunday Morning Stitching: A finish and a new start on deck. I was really impressed with how quickly this little sampler stitched up. If you need an instant gratification project, this could be a good one for you! I'm excited to start this gem. I got it while at StitchCon, and most of the ones I came home with have birds in them. 😂

I also stayed up to date on the Fat Quarter Shop Star of Wonder SAL. Monday is the first clue of the Halloween SAL by Luminous Fiber Arts, and I can't wait to see it.

1st pic:
Design- Summer Sampler by
Fabric- Milk & Honey 32ct Belfast
Thread- DMC conversion

2nd pic:
Design- Nightshade Bird by Plum Street Samplers
Fabric- Cappuccinno 32ct Belfast
Thread- Called for DMC

Sgt Ducksworth sailed for many days before "spotting" a friendly face! He managed to talk Mr. Polka into joining forces.

Sunday Morning Stitching: I have two finishes this past week!! 🎉 I also worked on some SALs and have a new start for this morning.

I have the frame done for the Luminous Fiber Arts "It's Halloween" Mystery SAL. The first week drops on July 15th, so I will show more during that week.

I have the frame done for the Mystery "Star of Wonder" SAL with . The second release drops on July 9th, so I will share more next Sunday.

Pic 1: First finish of the past week! I was trying to finish it up on July 4th, but it didn't happen until July 5th.
Design: Flag Thief by
Fabric: Affogato 20ct Aida
Threads: Called for DMC

Pic 2: My second finish of the week!
Design: Botanical Bee by .on.design
Fabric: Robin's Egg 32ct Belfast
Thread: Called for DMC

Pic 3: I did a row and a half on the 324 SAL with . I have been so behind on this. My original goal was to do one square and one motif a day. I have not been meeting that goal at all. 😂 We'll see how I change it up. I'm finding a few more colors that somehow I do not have in my collection. I'm creating my shopping list...lol.
Design: 324 by
Fabric: Milk & Honey 32ct Belfast
Threads: Called for DMC

Pic 4: My new start for the morning! This design was released right around StitchCon at the beginning of June. designed this on Milk & Honey, and I just couldn't resist the colors/design.
Design: Summer Sampler by The Proper Stitcher
Fabric: Milk & Honey 32ct Belfast
Threads: DMC Conversion

Reposted New Today! 'Fern Frond', a fern and greenery inspired piece designed with all full stitches. Finishing at 145w x 145h. Stitched with recommended DMC in 10 colors. The cover model stitched on 16ct. Kiwi aida (one of my favorite colors!) from . Find it in PDF format on the website with print copy coming soon to local shops!
www.carolynmanningdesigns.com

Sunday Morning Stitching: I needed something colorful to look at for a little bit. I started this HOD design on our Robin's Egg linen. The color combo is just making me happy. The third photo is my progress on The Flag Thief so far. I finally completed the house. Phew....that is a lot of stitches! I will work on it during the week so that maybe I can finish it on July 4th.

Design: Botanical Bee by .on.design
Fabric: Robin's Egg 32ct Belfast
Thread: Called for DMC

Design: Flag Thief by
Fabric: Affogato 20ct Aida
Thread: Called for DMC

Sgt Ducksworth is shipping out this morning.

Looks like he is ready for some Fred like shenanigans. started it. Do you guys have anything to match him? 😂

Sooooooo.......this happened! Yarn Tree started an office fight! 😂

Back story- When we order fabric from , they typically include a little goodie. My cousin opens the boxes, and he gets the pack of Oreos for his troubles. This shipment, they sent a rubber ducky. I told him he couldn't have it as it had to stay in the office. This is what I found in my office this morning.

I don't know whose ideas the ducks were, but they started an office war. This duck is going to end up hidden all over the place, I'm sure! 😂😂😂

So gorgeous on Hazelwood!

Reposted I have a fully finish tonight…my second patriotic piece this month.

This is Patriotic Quaker by Primrose Cottage.

Used 16 count Hazelwood Aida by Fiber on a Whim. I changed my thread colors to DMC 221 & 924…Sulky Bright White.

Sunday Afternoon Stitching: I didn't do any stitching this morning as I went to get a massage instead. I'm now enjoying watching some soccer with a variety of tournaments going and picked up my stitching. This project works perfectly since it is fill in. I can easily stitch around glancing up at the TV.....lol.

What are you working on?

Design: Flag Thief by
Fabric: Affogato 20ct Aida
Thread: Called for DMC

My classic Colorworks floss pack arrived today for the "It's Halloween" Mystery SAL. I busted out my called for piece of 32ct Affogato to stitch up the frames. July 15th is the first release, and I want to be ready for it. I'm so looking forward to this.

Sunday Morning Stitching: A bit of a recap below as I didn't post last Sunday while at StitchCon.

Photo #1- I finished "Pocketbook Peacocks" by while at StitchCon. I rang the bell at the same time as with her finish. I posted that photo last week. Stitched with called for DMC on 20ct Cream & Sugar.

Photo #2- I started "Gathering Violets" by while at StitchCon. The original floss I brought just wasn't doing it for me. During our trip to Keepsakes, I saw this A Gentle Arts Thread in Dragon Fruit. I wasn't able to finish it before I left, but when I got home, I finished the last few stitches that night. Stitched on 20ct Cream & Sugar.

Photo #3- I worked on "The Flag Thief" by a little bit while there. I had some outlines done to allow for just fill-in work. I did a few stitches before getting sucked into the Gathering Violets piece. Stitched with called for DMC on 20ct Affogato.

Photo #4 & 5- I stitched on "324" by while in Columbus, OH, visiting. I need to work more on this because I fell off my square/motif a day pace. By a lot! I only have 5 rows down, minus one square. Stitched with called for DMC on 32ct Milk & Honey Belfast linen.

Reposted Hot off the press 🍋 I was going to save this one but I just can’t! My new release Lemons, is the perfect summer time snarky stitch. Special thank you to model stitcher .cat.13 Lemons is 203 x 119 stitches. The called for fabric is Robin’s Egg by and is charted in DMC. See the link to order your copy today https://rebelstitcher.com/products/copy-flowers-grow-back-by-rebel-stitcher-designs-4

I (Kristin) ran away this past week to go to Stitch Con in Cincinnati! I had so much fun seeing friends and meeting new ones. Here are a few photos from the week! Thanks so much to everyone who made my first StitchCon so much fun!!!

1st Photo - We started out our time at Third Eye Brewing. I wasn't a huge fan of their beer, but their Pride Month cocktail was tasty!

2nd - A photo of the room as it filled up on Thursday morning.

3rd- We hopped over to Keepsakes first thing Friday morning. I thoroughly enjoyed checking out the store and grabbing a few goodies to bring home.

4th- and I posed with the sign

5th- Part of our crew for the retreat with the sign.... TopKnot Stitcher and

6th - Holly and I had finishes while there and rung the bell together. Mine is a Bendy Stitchy Design called Pocketbook Peacocks.

7th - My *new* best friend Jen and I posed with the garden set up. 😂 Abby may regret introducing us, but we had so many laughs together. Holly definitely wondered why she sat in between us when we started using the rubber chicken slingshot that Rebel Stitcher handed out. I apologize to all I hit at nearby tables with my terrible aim. 😂

8th - Our crew grew on Friday when arrived. We went to an escape room after door prizes. We found out we are all very stubborn people. We only asked for help once, but the gal kept giving us hints as she watched us struggle. We managed to escape at 59:46 with just 14 seconds to spare. I would definitely go to another one.

9th - I feel quite seen by this needle minder created by . It came home with me, too. I'll share photos of my other loot on another day.

10th - Last photo was our full table full of fun, including and as well.

people

Reposted Introducing Taking Up Space.

Big, bold, celebratory. Loud, proud, unapologetic. Banded, busy, beautiful.

It’s year 3 of my Juneteenth pattern releases and this one is just simply for the culture. Its roots, the fruits of its labor, its infinite existence.

This stitch measures 111x101. Model stitched 2x2 using DMC + .flossco (just one, Vierlande) threads on Caramel Macchiato lugana by .

Model beautifully stitched by Liz Allen / .and.branch ✨

🔗 to 🛍️ in bîo.

✖️

I enjoyed my morning stitching with this group of ladies! The downfall of not vending at events any longer is missing the people you met along the way. I just couldn't get past the fact that I would be an hour and a half away from them since I was coming to Ohio. I'm so glad I decided to come up a day early just to see them. So many hugs to be had....lol.

Now on to the next reason for being in Ohio....
😉😁😉❌️🪡

Kristin is out playing for the week.......

First stop, QSDS at the Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, OH. This is just a quick stop of 24 hours. It is so much fun seeing some familiar faces not seen in a few years.

Sunday Morning Stitching with a Twist: All of my cross stitch is packed up for the week. I had to go looking for a different type of stitching for the morning. This is the Business Casual sock by Tanis Lavallée. I have absolutely no clue what the yarn is. I'm pretty sure it is a hand-dyed one as I gravitate towards them.

Next issue.....it has been so long that I don't remember what row of the pattern I'm on. 😂 It will take me a few minutes to figure it out.

Adventures in Dyeing: Episode 5/30-

Sometimes, random fibers/threads get woven into the fabric. They can't be pulled out. Sometimes, they are clearly marked, and sometimes, they are not. If they aren't marked and sneak past us, they can be seen in the dyed fabric. It is so much better if we catch them before the dye even hits the fabric. If we don't, it can delay us shipping out orders as we have to put the color back on the schedule.

The 1st picture shows an example of a thread woven in that doesn't bleed, yet you would still be able to see it in the dyed fabric like the 2nd photo. The 3rd photo shows a random fiber woven in that can release dye and bleed as seen in the 4th photo. Stone is having the last laugh at us this week as both of these dyed pieces were in that color. One is the replacement piece for the original issue. Stone is now back on the schedule. Fingers crossed that one doesn't have an issue.

Reposted My next summer release is Summer Sampler! This small sampler concludes the collection of seasonal samplers. (previous releases: Autumn Sampler, Winter Sampler and Spring Sampler)

I just love the sunflowers in this design and feel this is a piece that can carry your decor into the fall.

Pattern: Summer Sampler
Stitch Count: 84 x 84
Fabric: 32 count Milk and Honey by Fiber on a Whim

Floss: Weeks Dye Works: River Otter, Cornsilk, Curry, Sun Dried, Driftwood, Blue Suede, Moss, Squash, Grapevine
DMC Color Conversion Provided

Framing by: Ramona Wylie Bishop at Bennet Home in Knoxville, TN


Model Stitcher: Jennifer J. Allee - (YouTube: Bougie Stitchers) .allee

Please contact your favorite online or brick and mortar needlework shop to purchase.

We are having so much fun watching all the posts we are tagged in for this SAL. The original piece is stitched on 36ct Beanstalk. Don't forget to tag us if you are using one of our fabrics! We love Show & Tell.

Reposted Exhibit 1: Hidden Horror

The first exhibit has arrived at the Deadly Aquarium: a green moray eel hiding inside a treasure chest. Although shy by nature, it can deliver a dangerous bite when provoked. Nearby rests the skull of an unfortunate diver and their diving helmet. You will have one week to work on this pattern before the next section is released.

If you've joined the SAL, the pattern has been emailed. Please check your "spam" and "promotions" folders. If you cannot find it, it's possible that your firewall has blocked delivery. This happens sometimes, but never fear, you can access all of the files on my website.

You will need a password to download the files, so check your "Pre-Stitch Instructions" PDF that came with purchase for instructions/password information. And, of course, feel free to send me a message if you are having any trouble.

Happy stitching!!!

                         

Reposted Let's show one more release tonight! I just love Patriotic Stitching and this sweet pin keep can be finished as a long pillow, a drum, or a needle book.

Summer 2024 New Release #2

Patriotic Quaker - 1776

Stitch Count: 160 x 52

Fabric: 32 count Milk and Honey by Fiber on a Whim

Floss: Weeks Dye Works: Grits, Battleship, Baked Apple

DMC Color Conversion Provided

Rick Rack Used: Lady Dot Creates 7/32 inch wide - Storm Blue .ladydotcreates

Decorative Pins: Jersey Girl Stitch Co.

Please contact your favorite Needlework Shop - either online or brick and mortar. They can order directly through me or from Hoffman Distributing.

Sunday Morning Stitching: I'm working on Flag Thief by Plum Street Samplers this morning. I'm trying to get the house set for fill-in work. The top portion of the trees, too. That way, I have a project that doesn't require too much thought at stitching events.

What are you working on?

Design: Flag Thief by
Fabric: Affogato 20ct Aida
Threads: Called for DMC