Sunday, September 7, 2008

The Week That Was

When I last left you, I was preparing to go to the first Kansas State football game of the year. Since then I have attended 2 games, that one and then the second game of the season last night. They won the first one 45-7 and it was rather warm that day and into the evening when it started. Last night they won again with a bigger score of 69-10. The weather was totally different. It was about 60 degrees and drizzling rain. Some times it was more than a drizzle, but not a total downpour. You would still get wet if you did not have rain wear. We stayed for most of the game. I was ready to leave at halftime when it was still raining and there were little doubt about the game. However, I was not the one driving. Ugh!! Even with rain gear you can get a little wet. Not too bad considering it rained over half of the game. No more home games for 3 weeks. More stitching time, instead of losing time in travel and during the game. LOL!!

Last Monday being Labor Day the LNS was closed so our Monday Night Stitch Therapy Group could not meet. That did not deter us resourceful stitchers. Janet invited us to her house for a day of stitching together. Always a fun time. We all took something to share for lunch. I tried out something new called Hearty Penne Beef. I guess it turned out OK, everyone ate it and no one got sick. We had some great food including CHOCOLATE!!! We stitched from about 10:00AM until 4:00PM. I even was prepared for any quotable quotes, but we were rather subdued, I guess. I have no quotes. There was no tooting either. One of our group has told us that you can use Depends as mufflers. Guess everyone had their mufflers on. During the day, we had two finishes. Janet finished a little Halloween design from The Sunflower Seed, including the buttons being sewn on. Reita finished LHN - Home of a Needleworker, too. Great job gals. Marcia was 1 1/2 letters from finishing "I am of Ireland" by The Sunflower Seed. A couple of our regulars could not spend the day with us. We missed them. Maybe that is why we did not have any quotes or stories from the day to pass on.

I guess because it was a holiday weekend, I decided I needed to start something. So I started and finished on Tuesday this "Noel Santa" from the new Prairie Schooler - Santa and Snowman. Plans are to finish it as an ornament. The picture shows the choices of backing fabric that I found in my stash. Had to go to Joanns to buy some ribbon for the hanger. Changed the colors on the original pattern to using Weeks Dye Works and Sampler Thread. The red is GAST - Cranberry. Now I want to do one of the Snowmen from that book. Oh, I almost forgot, I stitched this on 28-ct lambswool linen. It was to be on Summer Khaki, but I love lambswool. Some of the oatmeal I used does not show up very well.
My startitis has come back to me. However, it is for a good reason. At least that is my story and I am sticking with it. One of our regular Monday night stitchers is an older lady that lives in a local retirement community. You saw pictures of her last year around Christmas, because she was the subject for annual friendship sampler done by The Sunflower Seed. Joann struggles with various health issues and had some problems going into the holiday weekend. So on Tuesday evening Anita and I took take-out Chinese food over to her and spent the evening with her. When I arrived she told me she had gone through all her fabric and separated the linen from the evenweave because she says she cannot stitch on linen. She did not know why she had so much linen. Told me to go through it and take what I wanted. I felt a little like I had died and gone to heaven. I found this one piece of linen that had be dyed and distressed by Anita. Joann kept saying that she always liked that fabric and now she just wished she could do Workbasket's Quaker Cow on it. So later in the week, I decided that I would stitch the Quaker Cow for her. First I thought for Christmas, but remembered her birthday is in late October. Now my intention is to get it done for her birthday. Us stitch gals are about all the family she has so I know she will love getting this for her birthday. Joann loves purple almost as much as I do, so I went to my stash of Needle Necessities and found a purple (196) and here is the beginnings of a Purple Quaker Cow.


Since this photo was taken, I have finished the head and started on a front leg. I just love doing these Quaker monochromatic things. Joann does not have a computer so I figure I am safe putting this on my blog. Now, the rest of you Monday night stitchers that do read my blog, DO NOT BLOW THIS!!!!!!!!

The following Lizzie Kate design has been framed for quite some time, but I keep forgetting to take a picture when I do the other pictures. Now I just need to send it to cousin Jackie in South Dakota. Hope she had forgot I have a blog or it might not be much of a surprise to her.

There was one other significant thing that happened this week, that I almost forgot to mention. My little dog, Muffin, was supposed to have surgery on Tuesday to remove a couple of fatty tumors. The key word there is "supposed", because she did not have it. During the pre-op blood test, they found that her liver enzymes were not right. The liver is what filters out the anesthetic from her system, therefore they would not do her surgery. Put her on some pills for 2 weeks and changed her dog food to Hills Prescription LD for liver function. We go back in 2 weeks for recheck. She has not really had any symptoms that they told me she might have. Doesn't seem to like the new food. Was not a big eater anyway, but she seems to need to be very hungry to eat it. Will see what happens at the end of the 2-week period.

This has turned out to be longer than I planned and my fingers are itching to get back to my Purple Cow. Still need to do a few pictures for the rest of our trip, but tonight I had problems with the pictures that I was preparing for a blog, so I gave up on it for now.

Happy stitching to all!!!!


9 comments:

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

Look at all your pretties here...I love these new PS santas...do you think I'll get to stitch any this year?! Probably not....
THEN the purple cow and the L*K finish...all looking good. I hope Muffin is doing well :)
And I hope you have a great time with your Monday stitchers!! I'd love to be a Monday stitcher with you!

Jennifer said...

What a wonderful thing you are doing for Joann. I hope I find someone like you in my old age.

My oldest cat Alix has something similar to what you describe with Muffin. I give her a powdered medication in her food to help kidney function (Ok, not exactly the same, but similar). Somehow she can detect the tiniest amount of the medicine in her food and it's struggle to get her to eat it all. Like Muffin, she has to be really hungry in order to take the proper dose. I hope everything works out OK.

Mel said...

The dyed fabric for your cow is so great! And the cow itself with the variegated is perfect for the linen. Nice choice!

Ranae said...

I love the purple cow, never seen that one before.
I love the framed piece, I am sure she will love it.

Kajsa said...

Very cute Santa finish! And I love the purple cow idea. What a nice thing to do.

Michele B. said...

Do you stitch at games? I used to knit but would get very strange looks. How very kind of you to make the purple cow for your friend. I'll bet she'll be thrilled. We had a boxer named Muffin - I still miss him. I'll send good doggie thoughts your Muffin's way.

Michelle said...

Your projects are just wonderful..love that purple cow.

Michelle

P.S. Talked to Anita today ~ thanks for the heads up on the tuck pillows :)

Sonda said...

Looks like you have been busy! Glad to hear the stitch night wasn't a smelly affair! :)

Jean said...

Hi, Kathy,
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I love the Santa. I always "mean to" start a Santa but never do, then I see everyone else's and say "I'm going to do one of those!"...I'd advise not holding your breath!
The purple cow is a riot! I love the color you chose and I'm sure your friend will love it!