Second Day of Class

I wanted to be ready for the second day of class so I put in the basting for the gaming purse.  But I got off so I had to take a bunch of it out.  We are working on 36 count which requires just a bit more care to get it right.  I thought it would be easy to put in the basting for the needle book.  It was just a rectangle so I did that.  I went walking again.  This time in a different direction.  I was kind of seeing if I could walk around the block.  But these blocks are so winding and convoluted that I couldn't really just walk around the block.

 This is the fountain at the front of the resort.

 I thought these were lime trees when I saw little green fruit hanging down.  But higher up were oranges.

  I went looking for my plane stitching to occupy myself until  breakfast.  I couldn't find it anywhere.  I came to the conclusion that I lost it on the plane.  I have the threads and the chart (Drawn Thread's Land of the Free, Home of the Brave), I just can't find the stitching I did.  Rats.
The breakfast buffet was great and I had the guy make me an egg white omelet.  Perfect.

 So today in class our main goal is to learn how to do Sardinian knots.  Rae gives us some larger count linen to practice on (28 count).

This is a little tricky.  It's not easy to do the knots in just the right spot.  It seems like you have to work on the diagonal.  I think I heard Rae say that you can do them in a straight line but our design is on the diagonal.  I practice trying out doing the knots.  Then I try putting some in on the front of the needle book.  And taking them out and trying again.  It's a little frustrating but I am determined to do it.  This is what I end up with.  This doesn't look like a day's work, does it?   There is a mistake on one corner.

We go through all the parts of the purse and the finishing.  Rae really designs challenging things.  There are many specialty stitches.  I want to work my way down to the hedgehog weaving row.  It is so cute.  So I put in a little bit in each row to get down to the hedgehogs.

 I'm really glad I did.  I'll be able to go back to each row and fill in the rest, knowing I can do it.  That's what holds me back from working on some things, I'm afraid I can't do it.  It is silly.  How much could I accomplish if I wasn't afraid I'd screw it up?

Tomorrow we are invited out to Rae's house.  It is about an hour's drive.  Mary and I are riding with Rebecca.  I'm very relieved as I don't want to drive any more than I have to.  We are going to The Museum of the West tomorrow morning.  This retreat is coming to an end so quickly!
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