Annie thought back to the day of the museum trip. “Didn’t you say something on Tuesday about a chair? Wasn’t that quillwork too?”
“That’s right! How could I forget? I sketched a pattern for it with a color code while we were at the Abbe. Be right back. Protect my lunch from Boots.” Alice left the table to rummage through her purse. She came back with a folded piece of paper. “I’m glad I haven’t changed purses this week.” Spreading the paper out, she turned it so Annie could see.
“Cross-stitch really does match that design perfectly,” Annie said after examining the design. “It would make wonderful place mats, don’t you think?”
“The shape would work well, but I’d need to find a backing thick enough to give it substance.”
“Mary Beth should have plenty of options to choose from for the right weight and texture. Making the color code was so smart.” Annie added a few twists of cracked black pepper to her salad. “Hey, maybe I could do table runners. With the reversible pattern of Tunisian crochet, it would be like getting two table runners in one. What do you think?”
“Both items are sure sellers for harvesttime. People like to do up their tables for the holidays or add accessories like pillows.”
“And you should know, Miss Divine Décor.”
“Yes, I should. And in my expert opinion, your table-runner idea is the one to run with.” Alice almost managed not to smirk at her awful pun. She turned her attention to chasing a black olive around her plate with her fork.
“Would you mind if we stopped at the library before A Stitch in Time?” asked Annie. “Cecil gave me a great suggestion this morning, to post descriptions of the box and regalia collar on some safe genealogy websites.”
“Don’t mind at all. I have some new catalogs I can drop off for Grace and Josephine. I’ll just need to duck into the house to grab them before we leave for town. I want to hear all about your visit with Cecil.” Alice scooped up the remaining bits of vegetables on her plate. “I’ll drive.”
“And I’ll let you. Let’s get going, I want to have plenty of time to browse around for our supplies and get some tips from Kate, if she’s working this afternoon.” The friends tidied up the kitchen, made sure to give Boots a little attention, and hurried on their way.
By three thirty, Alice knew all the details of Annie’s visit with Cecil and his connection to the Holdens; Grace and Josephine had their new Divine Décor and Princessa catalogs; and Annie had posted her questions on four different genealogy websites after doing a little research to make sure they were safe. Alice and Annie still had plenty of time to explore their options at A Stitch in Time. As they entered their favorite store, Annie was pleased to see Kate behind the counter. She was saying into the phone, “Yes, we do carry square knitting needles. We are open 9 to 6, Monday through Friday and 9 to 4 on Saturday. … You’re very welcome.” She replaced the handset into its cradle and smiled. “Hi, Alice and Annie. May I help you with anything? Mary Beth is in the office, working on the books.”
“We’ll have to make sure to say hi to her before we leave. After years of doing the books for our car dealership, I know how lonely it can get back there in the office,” said Annie.
“Why do you think I do so much baking? I’m stockpiling comfort foods for when I have to do the paperwork for my business!” Alice grimaced.
“I’m sure Mary Beth will be happy to have a little company by then,” Kate agreed. “Have you made your decisions about the Harvest project?”
“We’ve made some basic plans, but I think we could both use some help with the details,” Annie answered. “Alice is farther along in her decisions than I am, so perhaps she should go first. Then she can be gathering up her supplies while you help me narrow things down.”
Kate nodded. “All right, Alice. What are you going to make with your wonderful cross-stitch?” She moved from behind the counter.
“I’d like to do place mats using the pattern I saw on the quillwork chair cushions, but I need to figure out what to use for the backing because I don’t want them to be too flimsy.” Alice handed Kate the pattern she had made.
“Alice, the customers will love this! Let me show you some fabric choices for the backing. What I have in mind will give the mats enough substance but will also wash well.” She led Alice over to a wall of display boxes filled with different fabrics for quilters, crafters, and the adventuresome cross-stitcher. “Did you have a color in mind?”