A couple of weeks ago on facebook a cute cross-stitch design popped up, well it was an instant impulse buy! The design is by the French designer Dany Chevallier, it’s called Ambience Printaniere, which I think would translate as Spring Air. I thought it was pretty and cute without being twee! Just right for a spring project. It’s a pair of designs, the second one being a rabbit with a daffodil.
It’s not taken long to stitch at all as it’s a pretty simple design, I think the simplicity is half of the appeal, the daisy and the iris are particularly effective. The only thing I changed was the colour of the rabbit, it was actually meant to be slightly darker, I had doubled up on this lighter skein of DMC in my stash so I decided to have a chocolate brown rabbit and I also gave him a white scud instead of a brown one, a rabbit has to have a white fluffy tail! He’s still fairly chocolaty, in fact he reminds me of some dark brown rabbits we used to have living in the fields behind us. There used to be lots of rabbits, the path would be littered with them if we walked the dogs on an evening, I think myxomatosis has reared it’s ugly head again as we rarely see a rabbit now.
I used my favourite bee fabric to back it. It crossed my mind today that I’ve used this fabric for lots of cross-stitch smalls, but I find it difficult to place in a quilt, I think it’s hovering between blue and green, so it doesn’t actually go with either. It’s perfect for my smalls though! Here’s a photo of the fabric matched with another cross-stitch small.
I decided with the simplicity of the design I didn’t want anything too fussy to trim it, I made some cord using a variegated DMC thread in soft shades of green, blue/grey and beige, it blends in nicely.I started and finished the cord at a corner, so I decided to make it into a tassel and add some dangly bits, namely some beads and charms. I found a rabbit in my stash and also one saying ‘wish’. I thought this was quite apt for spring and the hope of new beginnings.
My second finish today was the great tits card I made for my OH, it’s our wedding anniversary tomorrow, so I thought I’d better finish it!. I glued some batting onto card and then glued the cross-stitch round the back. I did the same with some quilting fabric on a larger piece of card and then glued the two together. I left it under a weight to dry overnight. I was a little disappointed this morning to see it wasn’t very straight across the top of the cross-stitch. This is the disadvantage of gluing, but when I’ve laced such pieces it’s ended up too bulky, I could almost do with doing a mixture of the two methods! Anyway I decided a bit of judicious trimming would hide the wiggly bit, I made some cord to go around the cross-stitch and added a navy blue ribbon bow. It looked much better.
I had placed a long length of ribbon between the cross-stitch and the backing and I used this to sellotape the cross-stitch to a card, I can then just tie it in a bow at the back afterwards.
I think he will like it! If I get a good response I might stitch a blue footed booby bird next year!
I’ll be linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday, please follow the link to see lots of inspiring hand-stitching.
thecraftycreek 
Your rabbit small is gorgeous and so is your anniversary card – congratulations!
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Happy Anniversary!🍾🎉
Love your smalls. 🥰
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These are so cute! The bunny looks so springy. Happy Stitching!
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Your husband’s gift should bring a big smile to his face! Happy Anniversary! Cute bunny too!
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The card turned out beautifully, the navy blue really looks great. Your new small is sweet, who can resist a bunny?!
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The rabbit is adorable and definitely not twee. Your card has turned out beautifully too!
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It’s definitely spring and the bunny looks gorgeous, You are so clever. Hope you haven’t got any of the flooding.
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There’s quite a few roads flooded nearby but our house is pretty safe thank goodness
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What beautiful projects, I love that little brown bunny and and the charms and beads make it even more special. Your anniversary card looks fab too, I’m sure your hubby will like it. x
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I love all your projects, just beautiful. The rabbit is perfect for spring.
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Thank you very much Margaret
I wish you a good Sunday
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Thanks for a lovely design 🙂
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Love the smalls and the backing fabric is lovely, and the floss trim is beautiful. I have a similar simple rabbit hand embroidery pattern I need to stitch soon.
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I love both of your pretty finishes. That rabbit is adorable. Happy Anniversary!
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Very sweet!
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I love seeing your smalls!
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Hello Margaret, lovely smalls, I’m sure your hubby loved his card too. I’m so far behind in my notifications as you can probably tell. Your smalls always inspire me to take up cross stitching again, I just can’t find my patterns and fabric, so frustrating. Kind regards Mandy xx
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Thanks Mandy, he did love his card, it made him chuckle 🙂
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