Patty ran up to her own room, and, flinging off her hat and coat, sat down to open her bundle of work.
It was appalling. The portion to be embroidered looked larger than it had done in the shop, and the pattern was one of the most intricate and elaborate she had ever seen.
“Thank goodness, they’re all alike,” thought poor Patty. “After I do one, the others will be easier.”
She flew for her embroidery hoops and work-basket, and began at once on one of the centrepieces.
The pattern was a floral design, tied with bow-knots and interlaced with a conventional lattice-work. The shading of the blossoms was complicated, and showed many shades of each colour. The bow-knots were of a solid colour, but required close, fine stitches of a tedious nature, while the lattice-work part seemed to present an interminable task.
Patty was a skilful embroiderer, and realised at her first glance that she had a fearful amount of work before her.
But as yet she was undismayed, and cheerfully started in on the flowers.
She selected the right silks, cut the skeins neatly, and put them in thread papers.
“For,” she thought, “if I allow my silks to get tangled or mixed up, it will delay me, of course.”