12 Stitches a Day: I've Completed Week 2

I just posted a photo of my progress at the end of Week 2 of 12 Stitches a Day on my website.

This week I changed the rules just a bit: I worked 12 stitches on each of the four little pieces of my sewing case.

What I like about this program: it isn't a huge time commitment and I have taken to stitching it in those spare minutes while I am waiting to go somewhere, minutes I probably would have wasted. The trick is always leaving a needle of thread set to go so the prep doesn't take any time.

To see my progress go to www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on 12 Stitches Week 3.

Week 3 starts tomorrow.

Gay Ann

Mail Jail (or when I send out patterns you've ordered)

I have received several inquiries from people about the dates I will mail out patterns they have ordered.
Please note that I always post my Mail Jail progress, ie what dates I mail things, on my website:

www.GayAnnRogers.com, then click on News&Views. Mail Jail report is on the right side of the page.

Gay Ann

12 Stitches a Day: I've Completed a Week

For 7 days I have added 12 Stitches a Day to a sewing case I am making. That's a week's worth of minimal stitching and I am surprised by the progress I have made, just by keeping at it each day.

Mid-week I counted wrong and had to rip out and correct my count. To make sure I was back on track, I ripped, figured out where I was and took about 50 stitches to make sure I was right. That day I spent about 20 minutes; otherwise I spent about 2 minutes a day stitching and an additional minute or so making certain I was set up for the next day. That's hardly a commercial break's time on the television!

When I compared the two photos on my website, I was quite surprised that so nominal amount of stitching time added up to a bit of progress.

Years ago my Mother-in-Law said, if you clean out a drawer a week (which isn't really that much), you will have cleaned out 52 drawers in a year's time. That's what made me try 12 Stitches a Day.

People have commented so far that it is difficult to stop at 12 stitches and they are right, it is. So go on a while if you wish, but not too long. I fear if you overdo one day, you won't return to it the next day, and the point is to work a bit each day.

The other secret I have found is making certain, at the end of one day that you are set up for the next day. Have the needle threaded and set to go.

So tomorrow begins Week 2 of 12 Stitches a Day.

Gay Ann

To see my progress:
www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on "12 Stitches a Day" on the yellow navigation bar.

12 Stitches a Day Challenge starts TODAY!

Amidst all the turmoil in the world, stitching is a bit like meditation. It carts me away and into a little fantasy world of color and texture, if only for a couple of minutes a day. With this in mind, here is a new little challenge: 12 Stitches a Day.

I worked 12 Cross Stitches over 1 Mesh this morning and it took me approximately 2 minutes!
I will keep a little journal and report my progress on my website, www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on '12 Stitches a Day'.

I am hoping you will try it too, just 12 Stitches a Day and report your own progress in my classroom at Shining Needle Society.
To join Shining Needle Society, write to Kate Gaunt (KateGaunt@aol.com). Membership is free.

Gay Ann

A New Idea for Stitching Productivity

In my Shining Needle Society classroom we have started a new program: choose a project, leave it set up, make a commitment to working 12 stitches each day. Always leave a threaded needle for the next day's work.

I am doing it too, right along with people in my classroom. My assignment for the weekend was to find the project and its threads and set it all up. We all start stitching on Monday.

I found my project, took a photo of where I am as I start; I will photograph it each week to see how much progress I make.
So stay tuned.
I will publish photos and my comments on my website.

It will be interesting to see what happens.
Gay Ann

EGA's South Central Region Seminar

I am just home again from EGA's South Central Region Seminar in Dallas (actually in Arlington).

Super time! I posted photos from around the seminar on my website, www.GayAnnRogers.com, then click on Region Seminar.
The photos include an all-time favorite of Kate Gaunt and Marie-Therese Baker as they were standing at their Merchandise Night table right before the crowds descended. They weren't really selling, but were advertising Shining Needle Society and its classes. My, how the organization has grown!

As travel to seminars becomes more of a hassle and more expensive, Shining Needle Society is offering an alternative. As time goes on, and as we learn how to use more and more of the technology available, I wonder if we won't be able to bring the feeling of a seminar right into your computers. If it happens as I suspect it will, you will feel like you are attending a seminar, but you will be at home in your pj's.

The one element of real seminars that cyber-seminars won't be able to replace: seeing friends face to face. That's the joy of it all and the reason I had such a good time in Arlington!

Gay Ann

Redwork Revisited

For the month of June a new goal: Redwork Projects.

I am hoping people will pull these projects out of their closets and work on them throughout June.

To support the month, I will be leading a month-long Stitch Along in my Shining Needle Society classroom. The goal: a few minutes each day and maybe by the end of the month we will see some completed Mystery Cottages, Redwork Cat Samplers, Friendship Samplers and hearts.

These projects are not expensive to stitch (most use a single color of floss or silk), nor are they difficult. And best of all, they go quickly.

In the last couple of months several people have asked me if I would sell some of my redwork designs, so I have also posted them for sale again.

So here's a kick off for June's month of Redwork!
Gay Ann