My Scissors

Hello Gay Ann,

I love your new topic of scissors, the ones on your website are so colorful!

Will you talk about the kinds of scissors a needleworker should have for her craft. I don't mean like brand names, but more for function. For example, I assume the cute little scissors are for snipping threads as one stitches.

What about cutting canvas or linen? What about cutting silk, wool, or metallic threads? And what works well for the tiny cuts in hardanger and such.

I would love to hear your ideas on this.


Reply: Hi Cindy,

Thanks for your note and for the ideas.

I just posted photos of my all-time favorite scissors this morning, then ones I couldn't live without, my little workhorses. I confess to having more than one of each :-)

In the next days I will post more scissors good for A Case for Color; I will also start posting photos of vintage and antique scissors, a serious weakness of mine.

Gay Ann

A Surprise Topic on my Website

Some time ago we started this topic in my Shining Needle Society classroom and I have always meant to return to it.

Now is that time!
To see the first and second photos attached to the topic, go to my website

www.GayAnnRogers.com

and click on Surprise Topic 1 on the navigation bar.

This is one of my favorite subjects so I hope it goes on for a long time.
Gay Ann

Twitter: My Account

I did it, I signed up for Twitter and left two tweets (is that how you spell it?)
My Twitter name is GARogersinSts. Now I have to find out how it all works. Anybody know?
Gay Ann

Twitter

I am curious to know, does anybody in my little needlework world belong to Twitter?
If so, would you write me about your experiences there?
Thanks
Gay Ann

GayAnn@GayAnnRogers.com

A Case for Color Deadlines

MAIL JAIL is the mail division of my little business. It is a necessity but I like to escape MAIL JAIL as often and soon as I can. In the interest of escape, I have put some deadlines on A Case for Color.

Here are the deadlines: You have until April 10 to order A Case for Color if you wish to receive the pattern now.

After April 10 registration will remain open for A Case for Color but I won’t mail patterns again until mid-May.

Why am I doing this? I have five sets of instructions I must write before the end of June, so I am carving out time away from Mail Jail to go into Instructions Hell.

On a lighter note, we are in week two of Color Inspirations on my website and in my Shining Needle Society classroom and this morning I have posted my own personal favorites. To visit them, go to www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on Color Inspirations 8 on the navigation bar.

Gay Ann

A Case for Color starts tomorrow!

A Case for Color starts tomorrow in my classroom at Shining Needle Society.
For membership write to Kate Gaunt (KateGaunt@aol.com).

I hope you will come along and enjoy the conversation about the mystery of color.
Membership is free!

Gay Ann

A Case for Color and Pam's and Kim's Colors

In the last few days Pam and Kim from Tomorrow's Heirlooms have sent me pretty color combinations, 16 of them, for my new mystery, A Case for Color. I published them 4 at a time and they are all now on my website, www.GayAnnRogers.com, 'Colors.'

Information about A Case for Color is there also, along with 6 different models.

A Case for Color is a simple little sewing case with places for scissors and a packet of needles. Easy and fast to stitch and finish, it is an exercise in juggling color and I am hoping people will use the opportunity to try some colors they have always wanted to try.

I made two different cases. On the first one I was much more conservative and chose colors that are the sorts I normally use; for the second I used colors that are very strong, much stronger than I normally choose. I enjoy now comparing the different effects.

Gay Ann

A Case for Color

Both styles of A Case for Color are now on my website.

A Case for Color is my new 'mystery project' for 2009. Why a mystery when you can see it? Because the mystery is in the color.
You have to choose your own colors and watch how they unfold. In fact, there are no color numbers in the pattern, so you have to take part in the mysterious part of color evolution.

To see A Case for Color, go to my website, www.GayAnnRogers.com. All six are on my home page, then click on the numbers to travel on my Magic Carpet to see details of each.

A Case for Color will be my 2009 project in my classroom at Shining Needle Society. The term will begin in April, as soon as I mail out the patterns.

Gay Ann

A Case for Color #2 arrives this morning

For the last three days I have posted different versions of A Case for Color #1 on my website; this morning, I will post the first A Case for Color #2. Tomorrow another version and the next day as well.

I mixed the colors on the cases, ie the colors are one way on the front of the cases, another way on the back of the cases.
I had a great time making all the different ones and probably would have made 5 or 6 more just because they are easy to make and fast too. A Case for Color will be the project for the spring in my classroom at Shining Needle Society, so I may just have to make another one or two of them just to stitch along with everybody else.

To follow A Case for Color and see the different versions, visit my website, www.GayAnnRogers.com.

Gay Ann

A New Mystery is coming tomorrow!

Tomorrow is a big day on my website because I will start announcing my mystery for 09.
It will all unfold through the next week on www.GayAnnRogers.com.

This year's mystery is different: you get to see the whole design up front.
So what is the mystery?

Ahhh, The Mystery of Color!

Gay Ann

I think a Mystery is unfolding....

A Mystery is about to unfold on my website.
This is all I know so far: it involves color.
Follow along and see what happens.

www.GayAnnRogers.com

Change is in the Air!

Change is in the air on my website as we transition from Courting Inspiration to March.
Watch it all unfold starting tomorrow morning at

www.GayAnnRogers.com

Happy Valentine's Day

I invite you to visit my website and see my Valentine's Day offering, one of my favorite samplers called 'Love Sampler' and its story. It has my favorite poem about love and marriage, just a bit of romantic offering for the day. Nothing to buy, no quizzes, just a bit of Eye Candy (not even fattening) to say Happy Valentine's Day.

www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on Valentine.

Antique Sewing Tools on eBay

I have just had good luck finding some great listings for antique sewing tools on eBay. If you would like to see the listings I found and numbers to link to eBay, visit my website www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on eBay Listings.

Among my favorites currently: French silver gilt scissors, stiletto and thimble at a very low price right now, with only a day or so till the end of the auction. Others include a pretty mother of pearl silkwinder, a Tartan waxer and a dear little mother of pearl emery from an English workbox.

Enjoy!
Gay Ann

February on my Website

February has arrived on my website and along with it hearts, flowers, candy, romance and a new topic, Courting Inspiration.
All month long I will post small sources of inspiration for needlework, beginning with computer wallpapers on my Magic Carpet .

I hope we will discuss all sorts of inspiration in my classroom at Shining Needle Society along with New Year's Resolution Ornaments, maybe people will even incorporate small inspirations into their editions of the ornaments.

www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on any of the photos on my home page.
Enjoy! See you at Shining Needle Society.
Gay Ann

The Date is Set

The date is set for me to start my Shining Needle Society class for New Year's Resolution Ornament #2.
This is a simple little ornament, small, fast and easy to stitch, a perfect project to start and finish and enjoy a couple of color lessons.

We will officially start class for New Year's Resolution Ornament #2 on February 1. I hope you will join us.

Then after New Year's Resolution Ornament comes my group project for the year, called A Case for Color.
I will post information about it soon. Meanwhile, I hope to see you in my classroom at Shining Needle Society.

Gay Ann

Classes at Callaway 2010

I am home again from Callaway 2009 and have just posted photos of some of the classes for next year (2010).

If you would like to see some very nice classes, go to my website, www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on
'More Callaway' on the yellow navigation bar.
Then click on the blue buttons called Callaway 15, Callaway 16 and Callaway 17 and then enjoy!

It is good to be home again. Soon I will start 'New Year's Resolution #2' in my Classroom at Shining Needle Society.
To those of you who ordered patterns while I was at Callaway, I will start filling orders very soon and will post my progress in News&Views on my website.

Good to be home again!
Gay Ann

Inauguration Day at Callaway Gardens

In celebration of Inauguration Day today, I have posted a video of Tony Minieri and all the stitchers at Callaway School of Needle Arts singing 'America the Beautiful' on my website.

To find the video, go to www.GayAnnRogers.com and click on 'Callaway 1' on the yellow navigation bar, then click on the blue button 'Callaway 12'

Each day I have been at Callaway I have posted photos of our needlework seminar in hopes people would see beautiful Callaway and have a feeling for the seminar here that goes on each January.

Gay Ann

I am at beautiful Callaway Gardens School of Needle Arts

For 11 wonderful days I am at Callaway Gardens School of Needle Arts in Pine Mountain Georgia.
Here each year in early January we who love embroidery meet for classes, companionship, beautiful scenery and entirely too much FOOD!
One photo I have posted is of the view from my room -- truly A Room with a View.
The other two photos are of the needlework boutique here where all students and teachers too may shop.
For information about Callaway Gardens, call 1-800-7-NEEDLE.
For many more photos of my life at Callaway, visit my website, www.GayAnnRogers.com, click on 'Callaway 1' on the Navigation Bar and then on the blue buttons saying Callaway 2, 3, 4, etc. Most of all enjoy! I hope you will feel like you are here with me.
Gay Ann

New Year's Resolution Ornament #2

New Year's Resolution Ornament #2 is the second of my New Year's Day color-exercise ornaments for people wishing to expand their color horizons. Details are posted on my website, www.GayAnnRogers.com, Small Designs.
We will soon be discussing New Year's Resolution Ornament #2 in my Shining Needle Society classroom, so I hope you will join us there.
Gay Ann