I don't think the bunny knows what she's talking about...

The weather has been all over the place this week... some nice afternoons and some cold snowy mornings and some rainy gray days...and it looks to continue for another week... twinter just keeps hanging on.

I did get some stitching done this week... a finish and a new start...

First, the finish...

Needle and Thread by With Thy Needle and Thread

I am so happy with how this turned out. I had enough floss to finish the skirt and I like the blotchy splotchiness. The "vintage"buttons came from my stash and I stitched the little spools of threads in satin stitch. You can see the details more clearly if you make the pictures bigger.

and I'm very proud of the needle that the little bird is holding...one ply over one thread...

As soon as I got the last stitch in this piece I whisked it off to the framer... it should return in about 2 weeks. I can't believe I stitched this start to finish in 12 days...can you tell I was over the moon about it? It is going to be part of a display in my living room this summer and then hang in my craft room the rest of the year... too wonderful to put away!!

And a finish means a new start... I saw this piece on Donna Rae Barrow's Floss tube channel "Flannel Jammies Farm" which you can see here.  I saw the piece in the background and just loved it. I asked her the name of the designer and chart which she graciously shared with me. This is  "Ah tis Spring" by Notforgotten Farm. I got the pattern here on Lori Brechlin's Etsy shop.   

What I have stitched so far...

This is 32 count linen I painted with Rit Tangerine dye. This chart uses all DMC flosses.  I changed the bunny's dress to  597 and stitched the words in 730 instead of the called for 610. I believe there is a small error in the color key which I ignored... the carrot is charted in 783 which is a golden yellow... I used 921 which is a copper-y orange and also a called for color in the piece. I think the symbols for these colors have been transposed...anyway I like the nice orange color. I also substituted 712 for the collar and cuffs of the dress instead of 644.  As you can see there will be a LOT of dress to stitch...but it should be easier than the big skirt of the last piece as I will be using a solid color instead of a hand dyed floss. Once I get the whole dress outlined I won't have any counting to do...yeah!!

And progress has been made on my new porch... Dan my handyman hung the blinds today and now it feels like a room... I love it!!! He also laid the carpet tiles and did a waaaay better job than I could have done...here's a couple of pictures... it is hard to photograph as it isn't a big space... about 7' x 10'... cosy...

The sofa and the bench and the yellow end table all came from IKEA... the bird  art piece came from Hobby Lobby... the carpet is from Flor. I have plans to paint the top of the wood bench... 

I sat out there a couple of times last week...the light in the afternoon if the sun is out is wonderful... the new windows keep the porch pretty warm and quiet... I love the quiet!  Dan took the storm door off of the front door today so now the space flows nicely from the living room.  There is still some detail painting to do... I'm having the concrete window sills painted to match the windows... a nice taupe... and there are shutters and a window box to add to the front. Hoping for improving weather in a week or two for the outside work...and I want to get a nice bird feeder and a bird bath too.

And since the bunny said "tis Spring" I did a little changing of the slipcovers on the living room furniture... swapped out the beige velour ones for a nice cream linen ...  I got a bargain on the cream linen ones I'm using in my living room...$20 for the entire 3 cushion sofa and $20 for the chair...that is not a typo... both slipcovers were only $20 each...there is more than $20 worth of fabric in one cushion. Don't know why they are so cheap...thought they were discontinuing them but they were still there last week when I went to IKEA.

Downstairs I  changed the red linen one in the sewing studio to a lovely yellow gingham check ... they weren't the bargain the cream linen was but I just had to have them. I love the IKEA Ecktorp furniture as the slipcovers are easy to change. 

I considered using this yellow gingham cover in the living room but with the yellow accent tables it was a bit too much yellow for even me...LOL

Lots of running around to do this week...why is it that the older I get the more I just want to stay home?.. preferably in my jammies.  I'm thinking that perhaps I can block out a week in May to do that...and by that time it should be warmer and I can work in the yard...and sit on the porch  and stitch and knit... What did Jane Austen say?  "There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort."  Such a true statement!!

I'll be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday...and since it is almost 11pm as I'm typing this,  perhaps I can get a few stitches put into the mis-informed bunny...that would be nice...

hope you have a great week ahead of you...

happy stitching-

carol fun