Some Exciting News for Me and a Mailing Date

First off, a mailing date: I will mail all Parts 2 of Mystery in a Corner after the 4th of July holiday.
We have some beautiful examples of Part 1 in my Shining Needle Society classroom, and again, I extend an invitation to you to come and join us. Membership is free, just write to KateGaunt@aol.com and Kate will issue you an invitation.

I wanted to take this chance too and tell you that I have some Exciting News which I will talk about after July 1st. Why after July 1st and not right now?

I will explain that later also...

SEE you back on My Blog after July 1st.
Gay Ann

A Donation for EGA

There are a number of people to whom I can't say no, and one of them called me asking for a donation for EGA's 50th Anniversary. I decided to look for a pretty pair of antique scissors and make a scissors fob and threader fob for them. I just finished and I want to keep them! So I decided to take a photo and 'keep' them that way.

The blades of the scissors are marked 'Germany' and most people assume they are German. They aren't; they are American. Companies here imported German scissors blades then made little sterling handles to fit with the blades. The handles here are marked 'sterling' usually a good indication that the silver is American. Even without the marking, the style is American, c 1890-1910.

They are so pretty, with little flowers and vines around the finger rings. An added bonus is that this pair are sharp and cut well! I am such a sucker for these little scissors and I buy them whenever I see them.

To personalize them, I beaded a scissors fob and a threader fob for the handles. A couple of years ago the owner of a little estate jewelry shop here sold some remarkable beads from the 1920's to me. She said in all her years in business she had not seen beads for sale like them and I would likely never see them again. I have a small and treasured box of these beads and I used two of them on the scissors fob. They are the long white bead and the flower-like bead at the end. The beads are metal and if you look carefully, you will see tiny rhinestones sprinkled on them. They are, as I said, remarkable beads!

So I snapped a little photo of the scissors and fobs and I will send them off. I wonder where they will end up. I hope in a nice home. And I will enjoy the photo of them as a memento.

Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: a Great Commentary on Part 1

Pierrette is a member of Shining Needle Society and has been posting comments in my classroom there. She just emailed me the photograph I have posted here, of her newly-completed Part 1 of Mystery in a Corner.
Pierrette asked Pam Douda and Kim Propst (Tomorrow's Heirlooms) for help with the colors and then she documented each step of her progress on her blog. For a great evolution of Part 1 of her Mystery in a Corner, visit her blog:
http://www.lovetostitch99.blogspot.com/

And stay tuned for her completed Mystery in a Corner which I hope to post here in another month or so. I will send out Part 2, the mysterious corners, after July 1. The stitches for Mystery in a Corner are easy; the important part of the lesson comes in the use of color and, in Part 2, some design decisions. I look forward to seeing what Pierrette and others do with the mysterious corners of Mystery in a Corner.

Stay tuned...
Gay Ann

I wanted to add this one too: Jeanne sent me a link to her very pretty Part 1 of Mystery in a Corner. If you would like to see it go to http://juststring.blogspot.com/ and scroll down.
Thank you for the link, Jeanne.

GA

Mystery in a Corner and Shining Needle Society!

Registration for Mystery in a Corner is closed.
I will wait a few days for mail stragglers and then begin class at Shining Needle Society.

Speaking of Shining Needle Society, it just hit 1400 members!!!

If you would like to join and follow along the discussions on Mystery in a Corner, write to Kate Gaunt (KateGaunt@aol.com). Membership is free. Kate will issue you an invitation.

Gay Ann Rogers

Mystery in a Corner: Just Two More Days...

Just two more days till registration for Mystery in a Corner closes.
If you wish to subscribe, please post-mark a letter to me no later than 6:00 p.m. on June 1.
Questions?
Email me, GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com

As soon as I have mailed the last of Part 1, we will start class in Shining Needle Society.
Interested in Shining Needle Society?
Email Kate, KateGaunt@aol.com.

Happy almost-weekend!
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner Deadline is Approaching: June 1

It rained in the night, then just after dawn it cleared and when I looked out, there was a rainbow over the ocean.
I snapped this photo and am using it as a reminder that the deadline for Mystery in a Corner is only a week off: June 1.
If you have questions please write: GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com

Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Part 1 and Color Combo 31

Here is a bright and pretty turquoise combination.
Enjoy!
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Part 1 and Color Combo 32

I have posted two bright color combinations so I decided it was time for this very pretty pale color combination.
Enjoy!
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Part 1 and Color Combo 30

Here is a bright Part 1 from Nancy J who is a part of Tomorrow's Heirlooms class.
She used Color Combination #30 from Pam and Kim.

Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Part 1 and Color Combo 22

Early in May I visited Tomorrow's Heirlooms where a group of stitchers are working on Mystery in a Corner and a number of them have completed Part 1.
In the next few days, as I count down the time till the deadline for registration of Mystery in a Corner, I will post some of their projects together with the colors that they used from Pam and Kim. The first is from Jo who used Color Combination 22.
Enjoy!
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Saving a bit of money for Groups

A few groups have asked me if they can save a bit of money by having patterns shipped to a single address, even if they don't have the required number of 10 for the group rate.

The answer is yes, I can mail a group of patterns together for $4.00 per person instead of the single subscription rate of $10.00.

Thank you to the groups who have written to me about this.
Thanks for the heads up and for saving people a bit of money.

If you have questions, please write to me: GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Pattern Available until June 1 08

Mystery in a Corner is a two-part geometric design.
The photo shows Part 1.
Part 2 is the Mystery.
Mysterious corners in mysterious patterns!

How the mystery works:
Registration is open from now until June 1 08.
I will mail Part 1 patterns between now and June 15 08. I will mail the Mysterious Part 2 patterns on or before July 15 08.

Supplies:
Ground fabric: 18-mesh canvas, 13" x 13" or congress cloth if you wish (you must change the weight of the thread).

Threads:
Now is the time to be creative!
Begin with an overdyed thread (such as Watercolours) and choose coordinating colors of metallic thread and pearl cotton, floss or silk. Try a color combination you have always toyed with trying or return to an old favorite and try some new threads.

Shining Needle Society:
Join our online classrooms and enjoy chatting with others about your progress and your choices.
Membership is free, for an invitation write to KateGaunt@aol.com.

Price for Subscribers who register on or before June 1 08:
For single subscribers: $38.00 for both parts plus $10.00 for 2 mailings (Part 1 and Part 2).
For groups of 10 or more all mailed to a single leader: $32.00 per person, plus $4.00 for 2 mailings by Priority mail.

How to Register:
For single subscribers: send name, address and email to GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com
For groups of 10 or more: send leader's name, address and email to GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com.

Payment in full is due on or before June 1 08.
Payment may be made by check or PayPal. Please email me for address: GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com

If you have questions, please write.
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Color Combinations #29, #30, #31 and #32

Here are the final four color combinations from Pam and Kim for Mystery in a Corner.
Putting together this collection was a huge amount of work and once again I wish to say thank you to Pam and Kim.
It has certainly enriched My Blog and my Shining Needle Classroom!

For those of you interested in the color combinations, contact
Pam Douda and Kim Propst
Email:TomHeir@aol.com
Telephone: 630-790-1660
Address: Tomorrow's Heirlooms
650 Roosevelt Road Suite 103, Glen Ellyn IL 60137
Enjoy!

Gay Ann

P.S. Once again a reminder that I have no financial interest in Pam's and Kim's kits. I just thought they were beautiful!

Mystery in a Corner, color combos #25, $26, #27 and #28

Four more beautiful color combinations for Mystery in a Corner from Pam and Kim, Tomorrow's Heirlooms.
Enjoy!
I will post the last four in two days. What a series!
Thank you so much, Pam and Kim!
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Color Combinations #21, #22, #23 and #24

Pam and Kim are back from their cruise and have sent me more color combinations for my Mystery in a Corner.
Here are #21, #22, #23 and #24. Enjoy!

I will post 4 more in a couple of days.

Meanwhile, here is the information about Pam and Kim again:
Pam Douda and Kim Propst
Email:TomHeir@aol.com
Telephone: 630-790-1660
Address: Tomorrow's Heirlooms
650 Roosevelt Road Suite 103, Glen Ellyn IL 60137.

And a reminder that I don't have any financial interest in the color combinations -- I just love them!
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: early mailings of Part 1

I just thought I would let you know that I just mailed a bunch of Part 1 of my mystery, Mystery in a Corner, by priority.
You should have them sometime next week.

Enjoy!!

Registration for my mystery, both for groups and for individuals remains open until the deadline, June 1 08.
Questions? email me, GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com

Gay Ann

Op Ed: The ANG List Controversy and the Power of Design

I have followed with interest the posts about needlework classes on the ANG List in recent days.
In general the postings have reflected unrest with the classes at ANG's next seminar.
People have said maybe there aren't enough traditional classes, maybe not enough
beginner classes, maybe pay issues for teachers, maybe certification vs.non-certification, and a myriad of other such suggestions.

Then a post from Linda K. Reinmiller summed it all up:
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 09:53:48 -0700
From: lkreinmiller@juno.com
Subject: ang-list: Seminar classes

"I think I'm getting a little confused with this discussion. It started
off talking about the seminar classes - right? That people are concerned
that there aren't enough beginner level classes or that the classes are
too artsy for most stitchers - am I still on track here?

I just looked at my seminar book and I saw only11 classes that weren't
set projects. And 2 of those were learning about teaching, 1 was judging,
and 2 were studio time. Out of 56 classes that is a pretty small number,
less than 20%. I saw several that seem to fall into the whimsy catagory
as defined by this list. It is true I didn't see any beginner classes or
classes that dealt with basics.

So I am a little confused as to what the issues are.

Can someone clarify them for me. Sorry for being dense. If there are
several issues being all muddled together can someone sort them out so I
can follow the discussion?"

Thanks.
Linda K Reinmiller


Here is my answer to Linda, not on the ANG list but in my classroom at Shining Needle Society:
"I think the unrest stems from another issue not addressed in the ANG postings: the
importance of design in needlework.

As a way of offering proof of the importance of design in needlework I suggest
the following: if people see a seminar brochure full of beautiful designs, designs
that capture imaginations and make hearts sing, people will sign up for the classes. People
will sign up regardless of class level or the selection of stitches and threads in the
project, regardless of the teacher's name recognition, level of certification, and so forth. Such is
the power of design.

With this in mind I propose we talk here about design in needlework.
Let's start with this: when you look at a needlework design, what draws you to
it? What makes you want to stitch it?"


I am sorry to say that the commentary on the ANG list disintegrated into issues with personalities rather than the topic of classes and that is why I didn't answer on the ANG list. Happily, in my classroom we have had no rancor and no negativity, only the development of a fruitful discussion on the power of design in needlework.

If you would like to come and join our discussion about needlework and design, please come to Shining Needle Society.
Kate Gaunt (KateGaunt@aol.com) will issue you an invitation. Membership is free.

Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Information about Ordering the Pattern

Mystery in a Corner is a two-part geometric design.
The photo shows Part 1.
Part 2 is the Mystery.
Mysterious corners in mysterious patterns!

How the mystery works:
Registration is open from now until June 1 08.
I will mail Part 1 patterns between April 1 and June 15 08.
I will mail the Mysterious Part 2 patterns on or before July 15 08.


Supplies:
Ground fabric: 18-mesh canvas, 13" x 13"
or congress cloth if you wish (you must change the weight of the thread but it will work).

Threads:
Now is the time to be creative!
Begin with an overdyed thread (such as Watercolours) and choose coordinating colors of metallic thread and pearl cotton, floss or silk. Try a color combination you have always toyed with trying or return to an old favorite and try some new threads.

Shining Needle Society:
Join our online classrooms and enjoy chatting with others about your progress and your choices.
Membership is free, just write to KateGaunt@aol.com

Price for Subscribers who register on or before June 1 08:
For single subscribers: $38.00 for both parts plus $10.00 for 2 mailings (Part 1 and Part 2).
For groups of 10 or more all mailed to a single leader: $32.00 per person, plus $4.00 for 2 mailings by Priority mail.
After June 1 08 there will be a price increase.

How to Register:
For single subscribers: send name, address and email to
GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com
For groups of 10 or more: send leader's name, address and email to
GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com.

Payment in full is due on or before June 1 08.
Payment may be made by check or PayPal.
Please write to me for address: GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com

If you have questions, please write.
Gay Ann

Mystery in a Corner: Color Combinations #17, #18, #19 and #20

Here are four more pretty color combinations from Pam Douda and Kim Propst for my Mystery in a Corner.
Enjoy!
Gay Ann

My New Mystery: Color Combinations #13, #14. #15, #16

More beautiful color combinations for Mystery in a Corner from Pam and Kim, Tomorrow's Heirlooms.
Enjoy!
Gay Ann