Merry Cox recently announced she will be teaching her Americana Sewing Case as an online class through the Shining Needle Society.
In order to sign up for the class, you’ll first need to join the Shining Needle Society. (If you have any difficulty joining this Yahoo group, email Kate Gaunt for an invitation.) Next, you’ll need to follow the instructions in this message from the SNS Yahoo Group and contact Merry directly to sign up for the class.
Class registration is currently in progress but ends this Saturday, November 15th, so don’t delay any longer!
The class cost for the full kit, online instruction emails, US domestic mailing, and an SNS administrative fee is only $110; for most destinations, non-US orders cost just an additional $8.
Already have the kit from taking this class with Merry some time ago through another venue … but want her help with the finishing techniques for which she is so reknowned? No problem! That will set you back just $35 to cover Merry’s teaching fee and the SNS administrative fee.
Perhaps the best news for Merry Cox fans? Merry’s statement on her website about the benefits of joining the Shining Needle Society (”You will then receive announcements of my class as well as future classes”) seems to be an indication that she plans to teach more classes online through the Shining Needle Society in the future.
This type of opportunity is a tremendous bargain for us all. This will give stitchers across the globe the opportunity to take a class with someone who is undoubtedly one of the most respected needlework designers and teachers worldwide. No longer will our work schedules, lack of vacation time, family priorities, physical disabilities, or even finances hold us back, and we won’t have to travel miles for the opportunity — or even leave our homes! Gone is the pressure of getting the project finished during a few short hours while Merry is present so you won’t forget how to do things. If you’re like me and sometimes feel intimidated being in a room full of stitchers who seem to know so much more than you, and whose stitching appears so much more skillful than yours, you can relax at home where you are most comfortable, and where only your most critical judge is judging your work (that is, if you are a perfectionist 
).
In my opinion, an online class is an absolutely ideal way to learn the incredible finishing skills for which Merry Cox is most admired. I believe I’ll be able to really learn those skills in order to make use of them in future projects, whereas when I feel rushed to complete the finishing in a typical classroom setting, I usually don’t feel I’ve retained much of the knowledge needed to repeat the task again in the future.
Lastly, Merry has the ability to reach many people without having to travel, so she can be home with her family while doing what she loves and does so well. I hope her new venture will be a tremendous success, and I’m certain all us Merry Cox “groupies” agree with that sentiment because we want to see many more of her wonderful projects offered online through the Shining Needle Society!
), so more people have access to the official thinking on the matter. Besides, it is far better written than I could do! 
