July 9, 2019 Tuesday

The First Day of My Remodeled Website

Permanent Resolutions for Stitchers

1.  Take all the pent-up anxiety about perfection and redirect that energy toward creativity. Open up your minds and think of creative  possibilities you can bring to your needlework, ways that will personalize it and make it distinctly yours.  Here are two ways to start:

Oops you made a mistake and you face a lot of ripping.

Ask yourself, is it really a mistake or a variation?

You do have to rip if you crossed most of your crosses in one direction and suddenly you started crossing them in the other direction, yep no way around that. Why? The real reason for good technique is that it allows all your attention to focus on your design (where it should be).

You don't have to rip if you made a leaf one row bigger than the design called for. This is obsessive behavior that needs redirecting.

You do need to rip if you make something so large it is out of scale with the rest of the design; you do not have to rip if it is barely noticeable.

You do not have to rip if you mixed up colors and the design is not exactly as the designer's model. For heaven's sake, if it looks OK, stop obsessing.

You do have to rip if a color or texture is not in harmony with the rest of the design.

You do not have to throw away a design if you run out of a dye lot.

If it looks like you are headed toward thread shortage, don't use the thread to the last strand, save at least 1/4 of it. Buy some more and decide where and how to introduce the new dyelot. I actually prefer to work with multiple dyelots. If you pay attention to lights and darks etc., they can bring an added depth to your design.

2. In memory of Audrey Francini, my generation's greatest needlewoman, slow down. Needlework is not a speed contest. Audrey was the slowest stitcher I have known. She was also the best. I have a couple of great stories about Audrey and her speed, I'll tell them in the next couple of mornings.

3. Forget about the Needlepoint Police. They don't exist except in their minds. You may meet people who think they know it all. Good for them, I applaude their confidence, but I don't buy into it.

I have probably told this story a dozen times but it is worth telling again and again. Years ago a friend wrote to me and asked, will this Kreinik braid look good with this silk?

I replied, beats me, try it and see.

Friend: whadaya mean you don't know, you're the teacher.

My reply: if the Immortal Artists Of The Western World don't know without trying, how would I, one mere mortal needlework teacher? (There's a bit more to thsi story too, I'll tell the rest another time).

All this goes to say once again, there is no real right and wrong, there are problems of course. The best way to find solutions is to think creatively.

Those are my New Year's Stitching Resolutions for 2021, still good for 2022, 2023 and for 2024.

Reminders for me as well as for all of you.

November 20, 2024 Wednesday

Up early this morning, I have a small trunk-full of packages to take to the post office this morning, but I learned my lesson and once home from the post office, I am resting and stitching and most important napping for the rest of the day.

I have reached the point I thought would come sooner, much sooner: IF YOU HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ME about your order, NOW is the time to email me.

It may take me a while, but so far you have been patient with me and I am grateful.

For those of you with corrections, you have until January 1, 2025 to report mistakes, although the sooner the better. I will post the deadline this afternoon.

Oh my, what a roller coaster we have been on: happily both DH and I are better, but we have overwhelming fatigue problems. Fatigue problems are a part of the illness, or so everybody tells me, so my work schedule is not industrious. Naps and stitching are the orders of the day.

November 19, 2024 Tuesday

I overdid yesterday. My friends told me -- fatigue takes a while and so I found out.  I have packages all set to go, but I am taking today off and seeing if I can catch up on energy today. It is mid-morning and I'm still not up.

I will see how the day goes today.

My goal is to have a batch of packages down to the post office by the end of this week. Let's see how I do.

Again, thank you for your patience. I will get to my goal, I just have to be careful.

November 18, 2024 Monday

I am back now and thanks to a handful of strong drugs, I am symptom-free. I still  have fatigue issues but decided I would see if I can return to shipping. I may not be able to put in long days but I thought I would try working for the mornings, naps in the afternoons.

Let me see how I do. I would like to see if I can finish before Thanksgiving.

Again, thank you for your patience. I will get there, it may just be slower than normal.

November 15, 2024 Friday

It is taking longer for me to mend than I had predicted and I apologize. Let me assure you that everything is here and set to go, I just have to have the energy to pack and send it.

I am not healing as fast as I had hoped and I'm guessing it will be another week. I am sorry about this, I wish it were different.

I will be back, it will just take time. Thanks for understanding and for giving me the time to heal.

November 12, 2024 Tuesday

From my doctor: it will take a while for me to mend, so for another week, rest and lots of pills. The good news is, I will recover fully and be back to work soon.

Sorry for the delay. It came as a shock as I don't think I've even had a cold for 7 or so years, maybe even longer.

For those of you still waiting for your orders, this is what I can tell you: your kits are here, all complete, all with beads and threads, instructions and canvases. All I have to do is pack and ship them. You will indeed have them -- it will just take a little longer. Indeed I apologize for the delay.

Meanwhile, I am going to prop myself up and pick up my needle. My large project is sitting across the room right now and winking at me. Yes, I answered, I see you over there winking at me, I'm on my way to fetch you right now. A day of basketweave lies ahead.

November 11, 2024 Monday

My apologies: Mail Jail for my October Sale is still on hold: I was quite a lot sicker than I thought.

Happily I have begun turning the corner now and think I am on the mend. I am going to rest for another two or three days, till it really doesn't hurt to swallow even water and then I will return to work.

I have everything to finish, I just need a bit more energy.

I began writing to those of you on a Wait List for Dressing Henry.  I have Wait Lists for Dowager in the Evening, Henry and Anne's Hearts, Henry's Geometric Box Top and for both Henry and Anne's Needle Books.

I will send notices to those of you on the Wait Lists, please revisit the sale, make sure you would like the kit and then email me.

I should have all extras for early in Jaunary. I would rather mail them then than in the middle of the Christmas rush.

November 9, 2024 Saturday

As I said in my headline on Queendom Website's Home Page, I am going to take off a few days: yesterday I came down with a miserable little cold. So my progress  packing will be delayed for a few days.

I haven't had a cold in years, of course they aren't serious but I'd forgotten how miserable they can be.

I imagine it will set me back for 3 or 4 days.  

I will still likely finish by the end of November.

November 8, 2024 Friday

A doctor's appointment for DH will slow down my work today; If I have time, I will send off more packages today but likely it will be Monday before I make it to the post office once again.

I think I have said often before, we do not have pickup; I have to drive all packages down to our post office. Why? Because our hous is up in the winding hills over our town, a beautiful view but difficult to find.

Our regular mail carrier knows how to come, but his schedule is erratic and substitutes don't know how to get here.

This is just a guess, but I'm thinking I might come close to finishing in another two weeks. We'll see.

November 7, 2024 Thursday

Two days after the election: I played hooky on Tuesday but I worked diligently all day yesterday and this morning I have a big stack of boxes ready to go to the post office.

So how am I doing? I began with the easy packages and I mailed a lot of them; now I am transitioning to the single and double orders with kits. Each one takes me more time but  I think I am doing well. Some of you will start receiving Dressing Henry kits and Henry's Geometrics.

In the next few days I will start on some of my larger orders.

A reminder: as your boxes begin to arrive, be sure to check the contents and report any mistakes to me. I still haven't set a deadline for reporting mistakes. That will come in a few days.

Today I will continue. As soon as I feel comfortable about taking another break, I will write about Wait Lists.

November 5, 2024 Election Day

I have a dentist appointment this morning, just routine cleaning, then when I am home again, I  plan  to take off today and tomorrow from packing per se. Not from work, just from packing.

Long tradition in our household, from the time we were very young (I won't tell you how long ago that was), DH and I watch election returns starting when the first polls close till the wee hours and on Wednesday too, if the results aren't yet known.

So I carefully planned: I am going to watch but also begin to deal with calculating Wait Lists and how many are feasible. I will tell you this: I have a Wait List for Dressing Henry that is longer than the number I made for my sale.

So today as I watch the returns, I will count beads and threads and see how many I can make. I hope enough to stretch the length of my Wait List.

In the next week or so, along with packing my present sale, I will begin writing to you and asking for a commitment:; if I make a kit for you, will you for sure want it.

November 4, 2024 Monday

I applied myself well this past weekend, and set to go today is a large carful of packages. Next, I have to cut more canvas (I cut it in spurts) and thought good mindless thing to do while watching the news.

November 3, 2024 Sunday

I had a good day yesterday, I packed for most of the day and today will print the shipping labels for a bunch of packages I will take to the post office tomorrow. All is going fairly smoothly and I will continue as described.

Please remember to check your packages as they arrive and let me know of any mistakes.

November 2, 2024 Saturday

I am hitting my stride: yesterday I took a mixutre of single, double, triple orders for instructions only plus the first few Dressing Henrys and expanded to mail the first Dowagers in the Evening. Still a long way to go on both.

This weekend I will work on Dressing Henrys single and double orders, paired with Dowagers in the Evening and the beginnings of the Hearts. I've got a good start, but a long way to go.

I plan to pack through the weekend and Monday morning, then Monday afternoon will make a trip to the post office.

Let me pack through the next week and reduce the mess around here and then I will write about my plan for Wait Lists.

November 1, 2024 Friday

Mail Jail is in full swing now: I have everything I need to pack and ship. Yesterday I sent off my first big batch of packages, the easy ones, that is, single, double and triple orders of Instructions only: many Inspired by Elizabeths, Small Santa Fe Squares and Dowager Countesses are on their way.

More of the same today and perhaps the first of Dowagers in the Evening.

Over the weekend I will pack Dowagers in the Evening and the first Dressing Henrys, likely single and double orders

As a rule, I pack the 'Instructions only' orders and then the single item orders and some double orders just to thin down the numbers

As I posted earlier, I think it may take me most of November; I'll know more after the weekend.

October 28, 2024 Monday Afternoon

It is about 5:00 in the afternoon and officially EWEEK 2024 IS NOW CLOSED.

Thank you one and all for coming. I hope you enjoy your goodies as they arrive.

I have posted on Queendom Website's Home Page Important information about the next stage: shipping which I call Mail Jail. Please read it carefully.

You may still visit the sale. I will leave it in place until all packages are in the mail.

October 26, 2024 Saturday

ON MY HOME PAGE THIS MORNING

My SPECIAL EVENT SALE

Onesies, Twosies, Threesies

A selection of one design or two designs or three designs that my followers requested. Usually I would have Surprise Windows but they wouldn't work as well without Carolyn's beautiful tools.

Instead, I gathered together a small group of one only or two only or three only kits and patterns that people had requested, in some cases often and even more often. It is really for those of you who waited patiently for Echoes.

And one Queen Victoria. I still can't believe that someone paid over $700.00 for the kit. Well, here is one I promise to be complete at my original price of $336.00, or less than half.

Enjoy! I will leave the SALE  open for the day. Happy shopping!

Yes, the General SALE is still on, but it is now mostly Waitlisted. To travel to see it, click on Dressing Henry on the above right.

October 25, 2024 Friday

Day 2 of my SALE. I still have some sets of instructions left.

Most kits are now WAIT LISTED and I am nearing the maximum count possible. I will leave the WAIT LISTS open for a short while more.

To visit my SALE click on DRESSING HENRY on the upper right.

TOMORROW MORNING, My Special Feature, Onesies, Twosies, Threesies

The SALE will open at 8:00 a.m. California time on my Home Page.

There will be one kit of my Queen Victoria and three kits each of Echoes I and II, among other designs, mostly instructions only, that my followers have asked for.

To ALL of you who came to my SALE yesterday, thank you! My anayltics show that I had over 2400 people visit my site.

October 24, 2024 Thursday

EWEEK, MY GENERAL SALE IS NOW OPEN

Navigating through E-Week's Sale This Year

To find the designs for E-Week click on 'EWeek Sale Oct 2024' on the yellow navigation bar. Then click on any of the photos for larger pictures, descriptions and PayPal buttons.

To travel quickly through the sale from beginning to end:  

Start with the first design, Dressing Henry, then click on the 'Next' tab at the top left of each page. You may also use the 'back' tab to return to the last design and the 'Return to Directory' tab to return to the whole SALE.

If you wish to buy something,

Click on the PayPal Button. Even if you do not have a PayPal account, PayPal will allow you to pay with your credit card. It's very easy.

In place of Surprise Windows this year I have a special feature called Onesies, Twosies, Threesies.

It will open on Saturday Morning at 8:00 a.m. California time.

Taxes: for people ordering from a California address, PayPal will automatically add 7.75%.

Notes about Kit Limitations

This year I am trying something new. If you would like a kit that is sold out, visit my WAIT LIST page. Click on the Purple WAIT LIST button each page.

Shipping Charges and Details (MAIL JAIL)

This year all shipping charges are included in the price of my patterns or kits, so there are no additional shipping and insurance charges.  

Please note that I do not ship packages outside the U.S. . For people interested in my designs, I suggest you use Shipito.com, a forwarding service that gives you a U.S. address and then ships the package to you.

When will you receive your orders?

I will not start shipping packages until Wednesday, October 30. The morning after the sale closes, I will have some idea how long it will take me to ship everything and I will write my progress daily in News&Views.

Questions

Please email me any questions:

GayAnnRogers@me.com

SALES Now Closed

TO REVISIT MY SALE,

CLICK ON DRESSING HENRY