Royal School of Needlwork class

I am lucky enough to own both emerald and opal - the emerald is a natural .82ct and was a gift from my sister, and my opal is a solid chunk about the size of a ladies little finger - and both stones are delicate about certain things, heat especially. Opal also does not like water, as it can absorb it and that destroys the beauty of the stone. All that said, I wear my emerald every day, and am not overly careful about my hands, and so far it has stood the test of time, though I did have the setting repaired when I was told that movement of the stone will eventually crack it as emeralds are by nature brittle. Sadly my opal rarely sees the light of day, more as I don't have a chain to hang it on!

Joanne in a wonderful springtime Perth.

Hotel Pattee is an incredible place!! It may only have 40 rooms, but each is decorated in a specific theme. I was fortunate enough to stay in the "Needlework" room, and was surrounded by Iowa state fair prize-winners, historic textiles (some over 100 years old) and a few ethnic examples of needlework. Every type of needlework was represented - cross stitch, Hardanger, canvas, laces, etc. The room was a boudoir setting with lots of puffy pillows, a window seat where you could sit and stitch in the daylight, and cushy pillows in the armchairs. My room was one of the "standard" rooms, not a suite.

Our group (it was a red hat society sort of thing) all got dressed up in the bathrobes (furnished by Hotel Pattee) and took a bedroom tour that nite. We got to see almost all of the rooms - each one had such a different feel to it, but all of them were nicely done.

We HATED to leave the next morning (we could only afford one nite there), so we went to the tea room nearby and had a Victorian tea. And then went shopping. Finally the bus driver threatened to leave us if we didn't climb on board the bus.

Wonderful experience! But it would take big bucks for four nites there - the classes would have to be phenomenal to make it worthwhile.

Phyllis Maurer