The Good-bye Lunch

The stitch group held a going away luncheon for one of our members, who is moving away, at the new home of another of our members. This was the occasion for the giving of the travel bags I made.  We talked and ate a long leisurely lunch. No stitching at this get-together! 

Morning Entertainment

We live in an apartment on the third floor of a building across an alley from the main university buildings.  I can’t tell you how many interesting things I see from my windows.

At 6:30 in the morning, I look out from my balcony window and see a small child with large scissors cutting the leaves off a tree on the university property.  There is no adult in sight and I don’t recognize the child as someone living in this building.

 

 

After he cuts for a while, he comes running around the fence to the alleyway, with his very long scissors in hand. When he gets to the alley, he pulls out a can of powder from his pocket and shakes it over himself. After putting the can back in his pocket he continues running down the alley until he is out of sight.

Who is this child? What was he doing out alone so early? Hasn’t he been warned not to run with scissors?  What was that can of powder? (Magic powder maybe?) So many mysteries…

Work In Progress Wednesday - California and Kansas

California and Kansas are finished making 21 states completed.  I also started Hawaii and worked on some state lines since last time.

Take a Stitch Tuesday 114 Beaded Long Tail Chain Stitch

My samples are done with #5 perle (yellow) and #8 perle (blue).

 

 

If you are interested in learning new stitches, check out the stitches on Sharon B's Pintangle blog TAST page here.

Monday Morning Star Count - One Flat Piece

I have the apron front in one piece now.  Next is my favorite part – embellishing!

 

Linking up with both Jessica at Life Under Quilts, Anthea at Hybiscus Stitches and (on the 17th) Sarah's Help for Hexie-aholics at Sarah Did It.

The Barbeque Party

Last Sunday we attended a barbeque party at the home of a couple we met through our TV show experience.  One adventure leads to another.  We took the bus to Sapporo, then had directions by subway and a 5 minute walk to get to the party.  While waiting for the subway train to come, a small elderly Japanese woman came up to us and started talking to us in Japanese.  I thought Ted knew her and he thought I knew her because she was so friendly, but neither of us had seen her before.  She got on the train and sat next to us.  She asked where we were from and where we were going. She was going to a tea ceremony and gave us three of the Japanese sweets she had prepared. In the US, I would never accept food from a stranger, let alone eat it. Ted snapped this photo before she got off at her stop.

When we got off the train, we met up with two people who were going the same place as we were.  They heard us say barbeque party, so they introduced themselves and we walked from the subway station together.

It was a very international party with people from Japan, the UK, the US, Australia, and Poland. The hosts were wonderful, the food was delicious, the weather perfect, and the people we met were so much fun!

We went home tired and happy.

 

Blackwork Heart Sachet Finish

I finished my little blackwork heart into a lavender sachet with a loop hanger so it can be hung in a closet. The blackwork was stitched on 28 count linen with one strand of Weeks Dye Works floss #1333 and one strand of Accentuate for the cross stitches. The cording is made with the same floss and the backing is a burgundy velour.  It measures two inches across.

A Few More Stitches in the Scarf

I haven’t posted about this in a while, but I am still working on it.  Here’s an update.