The 100 day stitch book project ends tomorrow!
Tomorrow you and I will complete page 20 and move on to phase 2 – assembling the book. Congratulations on showing up for that process.
What happens when you stitch creatively for 100 days? What happens when you show up consistently even in a small way? You watch yourself think and work and you get insight into that process. That insight teaches you how to access your magic. You start a feedback loop and you give ideas a place to show up.
Creativity is showing up and trying again and again and again. Getting it wrong is part of getting it right. And by right I mean something that sings to you.
day 99
The 100 day stitch book works because it builds on small, consistent effort. Those efforts compound and become something greater, both in terms of process and physical result. The daily practice builds on itself and gains momentum. You know you can show up because you’ve been showing up. The muscle keeps getting stronger. And the pages, all those stitches, the accumulation of many days, become a book. A substantial reflection of your efforts, a record in marks of 100 of your days.
assembling your pages
The directions begin here– they are in 2 parts – please read both completely.
I’m opting to leave my page edges raw again this year. It’s super simple to do and there is just one change to the assembly directions:
At step 11 in the making the sections tutorial you pin the fabric with the wrong sides together. And hand stitch around the edges. It takes forever. I’m hoping to get started on it this weekend.
Before I start to assemble I go through each page and look for anything I might need to fix- a loose stitch – I accidentally scorched a couple spots – stuff like that. Then decide the order I want the pages appear in, number them and use the page chart in the afore mentioned instructions to lay them out for assembly.
I was off to a good start, then I couldn’t finish. I was called to other things I could not ignore. I wish I had. Your book is beautiful, Ann.
Thanks Karen. It’s a process. Starting is part of the process. Thinking about starting is part of the process. You moved the dial. Come back to it when you feel like it -or energize for the next one.
I ended up doing 100 days of slowstitching family history, mostly text, including things like quotes from loveletters, poems; attaching 1951 honeymoon seashells and a wedding garter; names and birth dates. All stitching on 12×10″ pieces of a very raggedy quilt made by my great grandmother. I have lifetimes more to do!
Hi Laura – such a great idea- it sounds fantastic!
That will be so beautiful!
Proud to still be working on my book but relieved that I made patchwork covers that need little embellishment because I am ready to be done. The process has sparked many BIG IDEAS and I’m excited to move on to those. And gardening. The garden calls in the morning and wants to replace the morning stitching. The morning stitching kept me on track with the book….
I’m so glad it was an idea factory for you too! and the timing is perfect on for the garden – i’m right there with you.
I finally got myself going, finished 2022, almost done with 2023 and will do 2024 before the summer is out. I’ve enjoyed doing this and the 2 books are different from each other. 2024 will be different also, adding more stuff.
Thank you, Ann, for being there and for your encouragement.
I’m quite proud of myself for hanging in there with the consistency of 100 days. The process became a habit that I very much looked forward to each day, late afternoon before dinner. It was a way to quiet down from whatever the day had brought. Meditative, peaceful. And my stitching improved by leaps and bounds! I’m looking forward to stitching the pages together (with raw edges!) and finally flipping through my 100 days. Yes. I’m very pleased. Picasso’s quote is true. Creativity will find you if you show up!
PS: And this community is amazing, encouraging, and loving. I’m so glad to be a part of it!
This is my second year making a 100 day stitch book. I adore this project, looking forward to the process of it every time I sit at my workbench. I don’t stick to the 15 minutes x 5 days = 1 page.
I get so absorbed in the process that I just work until the page tells me “I’m complete”. And that’s okay. I tend to work a bit outside the parameters. That’s me.
I am currently working on a book wrap as I did for last year’s book. I love the idea of wrapping my stitch book in a protective stitched cover, keeping the peaceful hours spent stitching and the quiet thoughts while stitching safe and warm inside.
I’m hoping you host this again next year, Ann. I already have a loose idea for 2025! hahaha It involves poetry.
I saw the stitch book some day and got enthousiastic, then incidentally at the 19th of January I saw that a new round started. I started the next day. The 19th of January was the birthday of my late mother in law, and the 27th of April was my mothers birthday. So it made it very special to me. I’ve been enjoying the proces. Sometimes kept thinking about the next step(s). And I hope to make more booklets.
I like the way the book is binded. Earlier I made a booklet and was not quite satisfied about the binding, because it was too thick for a proper binding.
Thanks for the inspiration and the instructions!!
I started the book and have done about 16 pages and a couple vessels and moved over to finishing a quilt. I am 70 years old and have given myself permission to answer the creative call and follow where it leads. My intention withe the boost was to kickstart a broader process. I discovered that color and texture belong everywhere. Stitch is utilitarian and color and texture. I am motivated to add other media to my work and that’s where I’ll go with other projects I do like the small format and the short commitment of time which I also allowed to stretch and longer. Some days and not at all others I found a very pleasurable and inspirational commitment. I too am headed onto gardening, building out a pony barn to become my studio so that my messy process stays away from home life and gives me the solitude and room for experimentation I crave thank you so much for facilitating this stitch along.
I really enjoyed stitching these page’s. Somehow I kept getting off course, but I stuck with it. My theme is the four seasons. I started putting the book together last week, and discovered that some of the work wouldn’t show. A lesson in thinking things through. I’m going to miss it, but working on this challenge
encourages me to keep up with my creative side. Thank you so much!
I think your “pages” would look amazing as a quilt 🙂 Thank you for sharing your creativity.
This was my first time and I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. I was especially grateful that the effort helped calm my nerves when the outside world got to be too overwhelming. I have enjoyed and admired other people’s efforts too. What a great project!
I saw that some people made wrappers to cover their stitch books, but cannot find any directions. Is this something they invented for themselves?
I look forward to joining in again next year. 😉
Help!
Since this is day 100 for the 2024 book, I guess it’s Day 200 for me, since I didn’t sign up this year.I cannot believe that 100 days have already passed! I just NOW assembled my book–yes it did take forever to sew right sides together. here’s my problem, i used to be able to access a group where we discussed the project,and other projects of Ann’s, and could post photos. Did that disappear–or?? Can I find it again? My bigger problem is not recalling how to stitch the final binding. I remember seeing what people did–but, again, I can’t find that place where sharing happens. Can someone help? thank you so very much, julie in Kona, Hawaii
annwoodhandmade.com.
Scroll down the opening page and you’ll see the 100 book project, click. Scroll down and you’ll see where it says the ‘directions begin here.’
I am nearly finished my pages…I think I have two left. I sometimes worked for more than 15 minutes on my book, and sometimes skipped a day or two. I found it very very comforting when the outside world was a bleak, frightening, exhausting place to be. The meditation of the stitching was soothing, and I found myself thinking of colour and the little paths my stitches took. I wonder if when I do this again next year I will make wildly different choices based on the year I will be living through then. I really enjoyed this project, the time it took, the little bursts of work, and the look back at the way I was thinking written in cloth. Thanks for the inspiration!
I started last year and didn’t finish so picked it back up where I left off at about page 5. I’m thrilled that tonight I finished Day 100! I look forward to beginning to sew my pages together tomorrow.
Where have the last 100 days gone to. I’m so pleased that I joined in this stitchalong this year. As Mavi quoted Picasso. Creativity certainly finds you if you show up! Each page of my book is a diary of the last 100 days. Reflecting something I’ve done, seen or happened. I have tried to stitch each evening, enjoying the relaxing feeling of slow stitching, but must admit I did miss a few, but made up for them another night. Some nights, as others, I’ve stitched more than 15 mins- it was lovely seeing ideas blossom. Looking forward to next year!!
This was my first time participating, and I did it. All 100 days. I wish it sparked a ‘big idea’; mine was more a feeling. Peace and contentment and SPACE. Making space to create and taking the time every day was so important for my heart. Thank you for creating this project and sharing it with all of us.
It was my first time joining. It was the right time and I feel happy to have finished. It was the spark I needed to help me focus and get back to stitching. I had forgotten how much I loved it and memories came streaming back. I enjoyed the process each day and it feels like a beginning with no deadlines or requirements. I love the idea of shedding in my new workshop/studio. With a nice walk through my garden to get there and playing in the dirt.
Thank you for the stitch challenge ❤
I am both happy and sad to be finished with my 20 pages. I was able to stitch everyday for the 100 days. Sometimes it was after everyone went to bed and I could sit quietly and stitch. This is my second book but this one will be assembled by Ann’s instructions. My first one which was two years ago ended up being too thick to bind by this method. This project was the perfect permission to stitch for no other reason than to enjoy the creative process. I added some tiny stitched black cats to my second page and was then inspired to put at least one on every page. I looked forward to where they would end up as it was the last thing I would do on each page. I’m looking forward to assembling and holding the book in my hands.
Almost completed. I did find the daily challenge a challenge. Up days and down days and a couple of trips in the 100 days. I always took the work but didn’t always manage a stitch. However I have only 2 pages blank and I am very pleased with the outcome although I haven’t managed to post any pictures. Looking at it yesterday I managed to sort the order of the pages and I am surprised at how well it flows and I have used up some of my print and dye samples to make the pages. Thanks for the challenge it was a really good experience to build on. I strive for daily practice although I am trying to get to grips with actually using my computer and social media (which I hate)to be present online.
I loved joining in on this 100 day project. I have always looked in on this project (and other 100 day projects) but this year I pulled out my scraps and thread and threw in on the fun with you. I missed a few days and sewed long on many others, but the whole process was wonderful for me in everyway. I let myself sew, without judgement, whatever came to mind that day and used it as a chance to learn basic embroidery stitches and play with fabric and design. It was a pleasure each day. My stitching improved dramatically and my confidence too. Even though I avoid routine, I cannot deny the benefits, and joy, of daily practice and discipline. Thank you so much for your open and gentle approach to creativity and sharing it here with us.
Hi Ann,
It was the first time I joined the stitchbookchallenge and it will certainly not be my last! I loved doing it and it really sparked my creativity. Following some fellow stitchers on instagram also gave me a lot of fun, we really encouraged each other. Nice!
I already assembled the first 4 sections before ending the last page and just read about leaving the edges raw and pin the wrong sides together. I also saw an example of it on instagram and that looked very good. Next time I will definitely finish the booklet like this, because it’s a pity that now some details disappeared in the seams and that the whole booklet is a little stiff and awkward.
I want to thank you for organizing this challenge. I might start a new book soon, but I will definitely join next year.
Regards, Saskia
@sasdoetookmee
This was my first try. It was amazing I could come up with designs. Thanks Ann.
This was my first time doing the stitch book, I fell behind and am only now about to assemble. But Ann, thank you for kick-starting a wonderful process which got the creative juices going and helped me fine tune what I actually want to do more of at the moment. I also incorporated some odd bits of embroidery I had hanging around that didn’t have a home.