In my March 12 blog entry, Redwork Mystery: New Surprises and Puzzles, I wrote about a New Surprise connected with my mystery. The time has come to reveal the Surprise.
Kate Gaunt and Marie-Therese Baker have formed a new group called "Shining Needle Society" and their first venture is a chat room for my Redwork Mystery.
Please come join the chat group and meet others who are working on it. Write frequently about your progress -- for starters, tell us what colors and ground you have chosen and ask any questions you might have. The more the merrier and I promise to write as often as you do!
If you are interested, please write to Kate: KateGaunt@aol.com for the details. Here's even better news for those of you who have struggled with online forms: if you have trouble joining, Kate said she would be delighted to help you. I am already signed up and Kate helped me. Thank you, Kate!
Whatever Kate and Marie-Therese do is just super. For years, and I do mean years, we guild teachers were greatly indebted to them for their diligent work on ANG's Seminar Faculty Committee (SFC). They were great hand-holders, problem-solvers par excellence and just all around wonderful liasons between teachers and students. I am so delighted they decided to start "Shining Needle Society."
Gay Ann
This afternoon Kate sent to me the following information about joining Shining Needle Society. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask her or me.
For an easy way to access the discussion group and sign up on Yahoo Groups, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SNS_Presents_GAR_Redwork_Mystery/
If you are already a member of Yahoo Groups, you can try signing up by sending an e-mail to:
SNS_Presents_GAR_Redwork_Mystery-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Just be sure to send your e-mail from the address that is registered with Yahoo Groups.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Friday, March 30, 2007
Corrections for My Redwork Mystery
In previous posts I have compiled a list of corrections, but I thought I should consolidate them into one posting. So far these are the errors people have reported. If people find others, I will add their comments to this posting, so please consult it throughout the project.
So far I have 4 errors to report.
(1) In the early copies of Part 1 I listed the red floss as Anchor #1009; it should be Anchor #1005 and I corrected it in most of the copies. If your copy is an early one, please correct the number.
(2) And Zeena Maclean discovered a typo: the word "stitch" on page 10.
(3) And the correct number of skeins of floss is 6 (not 8).
(4) Cora Howe in Sacramento wrote the following: "I believe I found a small graphing error between Oversize Graph A and C. On the left side bricks on Graph A the bricks are one thread lower than on Graph C."
My answer: Follow Graph A which has the whole cottage on it.
If someone has followed Graph C, don't worry -- it will work out fine.
Let's write the worst case scenario: Say you followed Graph C and the whole cottage ended up one thread higher.
The worst consequence: the cottage may be one thread taller and the chimneys will be one thread closer to the top border.
Not a problem.
Since I first posted the above errors, cherron has added:
"This is just a perspective question. On page 6 you Step 2 A (4) Left Side of Cottage; you show the stitches slanting from tp left to bottom right and vise-versa for the right side .. i.e. top right slanting to bottom left. The picture shows the stitching for the left side to be as graphed for the right side of the cottage; (that is unless you are stating the left side of the cottage as if you were standing in the front door facing out.) I am following oversize graph A for slant of stitches. I also noticed that you graphed the bushes as if you were in the yard looking toward the front door - hence bush on left pg 8 and bush on right page 9.
These blips do not cause any harm, but just thought you might like to be aware of them. Enjoying working on the piece and ready to start the surprise window. Should be bunches of fun"
And on April 10, Ann added:
Hi everyone
I came across a very inconsequential typo in the instructions, which I
am sure will not confuse anyone--but here it is.
Page 24, (5) Picture over the fireplace:
DOOR--should read second elongated cross stitch #37 [not #36]
So far I have 4 errors to report.
(1) In the early copies of Part 1 I listed the red floss as Anchor #1009; it should be Anchor #1005 and I corrected it in most of the copies. If your copy is an early one, please correct the number.
(2) And Zeena Maclean discovered a typo: the word "stitch" on page 10.
(3) And the correct number of skeins of floss is 6 (not 8).
(4) Cora Howe in Sacramento wrote the following: "I believe I found a small graphing error between Oversize Graph A and C. On the left side bricks on Graph A the bricks are one thread lower than on Graph C."
My answer: Follow Graph A which has the whole cottage on it.
If someone has followed Graph C, don't worry -- it will work out fine.
Let's write the worst case scenario: Say you followed Graph C and the whole cottage ended up one thread higher.
The worst consequence: the cottage may be one thread taller and the chimneys will be one thread closer to the top border.
Not a problem.
Since I first posted the above errors, cherron has added:
"This is just a perspective question. On page 6 you Step 2 A (4) Left Side of Cottage; you show the stitches slanting from tp left to bottom right and vise-versa for the right side .. i.e. top right slanting to bottom left. The picture shows the stitching for the left side to be as graphed for the right side of the cottage; (that is unless you are stating the left side of the cottage as if you were standing in the front door facing out.) I am following oversize graph A for slant of stitches. I also noticed that you graphed the bushes as if you were in the yard looking toward the front door - hence bush on left pg 8 and bush on right page 9.
These blips do not cause any harm, but just thought you might like to be aware of them. Enjoying working on the piece and ready to start the surprise window. Should be bunches of fun"
And on April 10, Ann added:
Hi everyone
I came across a very inconsequential typo in the instructions, which I
am sure will not confuse anyone--but here it is.
Page 24, (5) Picture over the fireplace:
DOOR--should read second elongated cross stitch #37 [not #36]
Monday, March 26, 2007
Design Inspiration: Note #1
For years my students have asked me where the inspiration for my needlework projects comes from. Sprinkled through the next year, I will write a series of short notes about the sources of my inspiration and a bit on how I use these sources.
One important source comes from Greeting Cards. I collect them and have baggies full of them. Shoe boxes also. For the most part I keep them divided into categories: houses, gardens, house furnishings, hearts, Christmas, Valentine's Day and so forth.
For example, a very useful card I found several years ago pictured a chest of drawers. Not particularly a chest of drawers I would replicate, but I liked the way the artist had painted the shading on the drawers and the bunches of tiny flowers between the drawer knobs. I have never stitched a chest of drawers that looks like the one on the card, but it inspired the way I have constructed several of the chests of drawers I have stitched.
Of course I have practical Greeting Cards too, for girlfriends and birthdays and such. Occasionally I find cards I love so much that I have to keep them. I have two all-time favorite cards and I can never decide which is my favorite. I thought I would write about both, even though they don't relate to my designs or needlepoint.
FIRST CARD is a birthday card but it contains certain Universal Truths about marriage:
On the cover are three blind mice who are covering sensitive parts of their anatomies with their paws as the card sings:
Three blind mice, three blind mice, see how they run, see how they run, they all ran away from John Bobbit's wife who cut off their **** with a carving knife...
Open the card and inside: so be nice to your wife, be nice to your wife, from someone on the cutting edge.
SECOND CARD is a Far-Side card and it speaks to the Philosophy of Life:
The four personality types:
1. The glass is half full
2. The glass is half empty
3. The glass is half full, no it is half empty, no it is half full, etc.
4. Hey, where's my cheeseburger.
I would say that most of us who grapple in creative pursuits probably belong to personality type 4.
Meanwhile, today is the 26th of March. Less than a week to go till I post the first Surprise Mystery Window.
Gay Ann
One important source comes from Greeting Cards. I collect them and have baggies full of them. Shoe boxes also. For the most part I keep them divided into categories: houses, gardens, house furnishings, hearts, Christmas, Valentine's Day and so forth.
For example, a very useful card I found several years ago pictured a chest of drawers. Not particularly a chest of drawers I would replicate, but I liked the way the artist had painted the shading on the drawers and the bunches of tiny flowers between the drawer knobs. I have never stitched a chest of drawers that looks like the one on the card, but it inspired the way I have constructed several of the chests of drawers I have stitched.
Of course I have practical Greeting Cards too, for girlfriends and birthdays and such. Occasionally I find cards I love so much that I have to keep them. I have two all-time favorite cards and I can never decide which is my favorite. I thought I would write about both, even though they don't relate to my designs or needlepoint.
FIRST CARD is a birthday card but it contains certain Universal Truths about marriage:
On the cover are three blind mice who are covering sensitive parts of their anatomies with their paws as the card sings:
Three blind mice, three blind mice, see how they run, see how they run, they all ran away from John Bobbit's wife who cut off their **** with a carving knife...
Open the card and inside: so be nice to your wife, be nice to your wife, from someone on the cutting edge.
SECOND CARD is a Far-Side card and it speaks to the Philosophy of Life:
The four personality types:
1. The glass is half full
2. The glass is half empty
3. The glass is half full, no it is half empty, no it is half full, etc.
4. Hey, where's my cheeseburger.
I would say that most of us who grapple in creative pursuits probably belong to personality type 4.
Meanwhile, today is the 26th of March. Less than a week to go till I post the first Surprise Mystery Window.
Gay Ann
Monday, March 19, 2007
My Perspective on Perspective
I have noticed that academic perspective as it applies to needlework has been of interest lately in the guild magazines and several teachers and stitchers have contributed their ideas about it in the last few years.
I have always wanted to put in my 2 cents worth but never had the occasion. Then the other night I watched a DVD my husband gave to me for Valentine's Day: The Post Impressionsits - Cezanne.
The two art historians on the DVD did such a great job discussing Cezanne's innovative approach to perspective. It was a delightful hour and a significant reminder that acaedmic perspective is not the only approach to capturing three dimensional subjects on a two-dimensional surface.
If you would like to see a different perspective on perspective, watch The Post Impressionists - Cezanne, available for $17.95 on Amazon.com. I just looked up price and availability this morning and noticed there are also used copies available from $11.26.
I have two post scripts. The first, Cezanne was a favorite of my mother who, for as long as I could remember, kept a coffee-table book of his paintings. As a child I remember her leafing through it quite often.
Second, as you work your way through my Redwork Mystery, stop and think what I did with perspective on the piece. I guess this comment in itself is a hint about my mystery, isn't it. Keep guessing! I have enjoyed reading your guesses about my Surprise Windows.
Gay Ann
I have always wanted to put in my 2 cents worth but never had the occasion. Then the other night I watched a DVD my husband gave to me for Valentine's Day: The Post Impressionsits - Cezanne.
The two art historians on the DVD did such a great job discussing Cezanne's innovative approach to perspective. It was a delightful hour and a significant reminder that acaedmic perspective is not the only approach to capturing three dimensional subjects on a two-dimensional surface.
If you would like to see a different perspective on perspective, watch The Post Impressionists - Cezanne, available for $17.95 on Amazon.com. I just looked up price and availability this morning and noticed there are also used copies available from $11.26.
I have two post scripts. The first, Cezanne was a favorite of my mother who, for as long as I could remember, kept a coffee-table book of his paintings. As a child I remember her leafing through it quite often.
Second, as you work your way through my Redwork Mystery, stop and think what I did with perspective on the piece. I guess this comment in itself is a hint about my mystery, isn't it. Keep guessing! I have enjoyed reading your guesses about my Surprise Windows.
Gay Ann
Friday, March 16, 2007
Redwork Mystery Guessing Game
I have heard from many of you that you have already started stitching Redwork Mystery.
It is March 16 today and on April 1st, Laura will post the first of the Surprise Windows on my website
(www.GayAnnRogers.com/group projects).
I decided it would be fun for the next two weeks to have a guessing game:
anybody want to guess what in in Surprise Window #1?
Gay Ann
It is March 16 today and on April 1st, Laura will post the first of the Surprise Windows on my website
(www.GayAnnRogers.com/group projects).
I decided it would be fun for the next two weeks to have a guessing game:
anybody want to guess what in in Surprise Window #1?
Gay Ann
Thursday, March 15, 2007
PLEASE Vote in the ANG Election!
This is a reminder that today is the final day to mail in your ballot for the ANG election.
PLEASE VOTE!
I can't resist:
Does anybody know the reason ANG chose TODAY to end its election?
Anybody think of a traitor and a death long ago associated with the date today?
Gay Ann
PLEASE VOTE!
I can't resist:
Does anybody know the reason ANG chose TODAY to end its election?
Anybody think of a traitor and a death long ago associated with the date today?
Gay Ann
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Redwork Mystery: Oops, four errors (so far)
In my entry "I am out of Mail Jail" I list four errors that you have written me about. I just learned about the fourth this afternoon and posted it straight away.
I wish I were perfect. Alas, I am not. The important part: the pattern is still workable. How do I know it is workable? I had two very reliable proof-stitchers stitch the project. They may not catch every little error but they do catch errors big enough to keep someone from being able to work the pattern.
As the mystery progresses, I will write about designing the mystery, in fact how I design everything. A number of you have asked me to write about inspiration, sources and the process and I will enjoy writing about it. When you read the description of how I work, you will learn it isn't an exact art. But I will save all this till later. For now, carry on, all of you out there in stitcher-land, write me if you find errors and I will post them on my blog.
Gay Ann
I wish I were perfect. Alas, I am not. The important part: the pattern is still workable. How do I know it is workable? I had two very reliable proof-stitchers stitch the project. They may not catch every little error but they do catch errors big enough to keep someone from being able to work the pattern.
As the mystery progresses, I will write about designing the mystery, in fact how I design everything. A number of you have asked me to write about inspiration, sources and the process and I will enjoy writing about it. When you read the description of how I work, you will learn it isn't an exact art. But I will save all this till later. For now, carry on, all of you out there in stitcher-land, write me if you find errors and I will post them on my blog.
Gay Ann
Monday, March 12, 2007
My Redwork Mystery: New Surprises and Puzzles
As all of you receive your copies of Redwork Mystery, Part 1, watch my blog for a new surprise connected with the mystery.
And for you puzzle-lovers, there is a small observation you might make about a pattern in the color copy of Part 1.
Can anyone find it?
Mysteries, Surprises and Puzzles!
Gay Ann
And for you puzzle-lovers, there is a small observation you might make about a pattern in the color copy of Part 1.
Can anyone find it?
Mysteries, Surprises and Puzzles!
Gay Ann
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Part 1 of My Redwork Mystery: I am out of Mail Jail
I am officially out of Mail Jail (translation: all of Part 1 of my Redwork Mystery are in the mail! All by Priority on March 9 , 10 and 12).
As you receive your copy, please notice the different sections of Part 1: the color copy of Part 1 (the same photo on my website), and Oversize Graphs A, B and C folded around a stapled booklet.
Remove the staple and notice that the booklet divides into 2 sections: the Instructions for Part 1 and a Stitch Glossary. I recommend you slip all pages into sheet protectors and store them in a looseleaf notebook. The Stitch Glossary is a very important part of this project, for it is the reference for all 8 mystery windows. Be sure to store it carefully; you will refer to it constantly in the months to come.
To start: read the "box" on the cover, gather together the supplies listed on page 1 and follow the "To Start" instructions also on page 1.
With Oversize Graph A in front of you, work Step 1 A as directed, then proceed through the booklet, step by step.
So far I have 4 errors to report.
(1) In the early copies of Part 1 I listed the red floss as Anchor #1009; it should be Anchor #1005 and I corrected it in most of the copies. If your copy is an early one, please correct the number.
(2) And Zeena Maclean discovered a typo: the word "stitch" on page 10.
(3) And the correct number of skeins of floss is 6 (not 8).
(4) Cora Howe in Sacramento wrote the following: "I believe I found a small graphing error between Oversize Graph A and C. On the left side bricks on Graph A the bricks are one thread lower than on Graph C."
My answer: Follow Graph A which has the whole cottage on it.
If someone has followed Graph C, don't worry -- it will work out fine.
Let's write the worst case scenario: Say you followed Graph C and the whole cottage ended up one thread higher.
The worst consequence: the cottage may be one thread taller and the chimneys will be one thread closer to the top border.
Not a problem.
Please continue to watch My Blog postings. I will write updates as I hear from all of you.
Meanwhile, be sure you take The Thread Test (described in my posting "Supplies for My Redwork Sampler") before you begin work.
Enjoy!
Gay Ann
As you receive your copy, please notice the different sections of Part 1: the color copy of Part 1 (the same photo on my website), and Oversize Graphs A, B and C folded around a stapled booklet.
Remove the staple and notice that the booklet divides into 2 sections: the Instructions for Part 1 and a Stitch Glossary. I recommend you slip all pages into sheet protectors and store them in a looseleaf notebook. The Stitch Glossary is a very important part of this project, for it is the reference for all 8 mystery windows. Be sure to store it carefully; you will refer to it constantly in the months to come.
To start: read the "box" on the cover, gather together the supplies listed on page 1 and follow the "To Start" instructions also on page 1.
With Oversize Graph A in front of you, work Step 1 A as directed, then proceed through the booklet, step by step.
So far I have 4 errors to report.
(1) In the early copies of Part 1 I listed the red floss as Anchor #1009; it should be Anchor #1005 and I corrected it in most of the copies. If your copy is an early one, please correct the number.
(2) And Zeena Maclean discovered a typo: the word "stitch" on page 10.
(3) And the correct number of skeins of floss is 6 (not 8).
(4) Cora Howe in Sacramento wrote the following: "I believe I found a small graphing error between Oversize Graph A and C. On the left side bricks on Graph A the bricks are one thread lower than on Graph C."
My answer: Follow Graph A which has the whole cottage on it.
If someone has followed Graph C, don't worry -- it will work out fine.
Let's write the worst case scenario: Say you followed Graph C and the whole cottage ended up one thread higher.
The worst consequence: the cottage may be one thread taller and the chimneys will be one thread closer to the top border.
Not a problem.
Please continue to watch My Blog postings. I will write updates as I hear from all of you.
Meanwhile, be sure you take The Thread Test (described in my posting "Supplies for My Redwork Sampler") before you begin work.
Enjoy!
Gay Ann
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