The story continues..

On Saturday morning MS put Bo in the car and headed for the new needlework shop she had recently found.  It was much closer to home although it was still 45 minutes away.  Her loyalty to Nancy and Carol was great, but Karen Weaver of Black Swan Designs, was going to be there doing a trunk show and signing autographs.  MS was a great fan of hers so she couldn’t miss this.

Upon arrival the first thing that she saw was the latest in the Flower Angel series that Karen was still designing.  “Magnolia” was perfect.  She loved magnolias and used them in her home décor.  She talked with Karen and Cherie for what seemed like hours—admiring all the designs that she had never seen in person.  When she and Bo finally left (with several new designs in her possession) she was still pleading for Karen’s working copy of “Magnolia”!

A few days later Cherie called and asked if MS would be interested in stitching “Magnolia” for the front cover of the leaflet.  The photos would be taken and the model taken to market in Charlotte in August—then it would be hers, all HERS!  And, of course, she would be paid!  An emphatic “yes” and Cherie told her that Karen would get the supplies together and FedEx them to her as they needed it back by July 15^th.

This seemed very doable to the Mad Stitcher.  She could finish the stocking by Thursday and work on Melissa’s afghan until she got the design from Karen.  She stitched on the stocking and Thursday afternoon began the personalization.  It wasn’t until she began to stitch the name that it suddenly stuck her how appropriate the Nativity was for her niece #5—Mary!  The supplies arrived on Friday afternoon and MS couldn’t wait to get started.  Her biggest mistake was looking at the calendar—three weeks till the 15^th.  “Oh, no!  I thought it was longer than that!”

She worked on the afghan that evening and finished it up at 2:43 am.  She looked at it with admiring eyes and realized how beautiful it actually was.  Melissa was going to love it.  She folded it and placed it on the back of the sofa with the Nativity stocking front.  She would wash and press them tomorrow.

On Saturday morning she arose early to the sounds of soft rain failing against the windowpanes.  Perfect stitching weather, she thought.  So after breakfast she prepared the fabric for “Magnolia” and while the Fray Block was drying she washed and pressed the stocking front and soaked the afghan.  How on earth am I going to squeeze the water out of this thing?  Finally she decided to spin it in the washer for just few seconds.  Then she covered her kitchen table with beach towels and began to press the afghan till it was almost dry.  She changed the towels and left the afghan to air dry.

It was nearly 11:00 am when MS was finally able to sit down and stitch.  She looked over the chart carefully, measured and counted and then counted and measured, until she was certain she had it centered properly.  As she placed the first stitch she was lost in another world—completely alone and at peace.  Jason had come over and was helping Bo do something in his workshop, so no worries there!  It was Heaven!  She was able to stitch without interruption for hours.

When Bo and Jason finally came inside, Jason suggested ordering out for dinner.  He volunteered to pick it up before he had to leave (He had a date!  Hee!Hee!Hee!)  So MS took him up on his offer.  It felt good not having to cook; plus, she could get back to her stitching!

On Sunday afternoon, Jason came by and promptly fell asleep on the sofa.  MS wondered what time he had gotten to bed the night before, but knew better than to ask.  It was late when he awoke and he had to rush to get to an *appointment*.  So it wasn’t later that MS noticed something.  “Oh my God!!!..........”