Congratulations. You have created an excellent situation. You’ve got some fabric scraps, an assignment and a small, daily, dedicated chunk of time. Wonderful conditions for having ideas, trying stuff and listening to yourself.
Are you nervous? Excited? This is my 5th stitch book challenge and I’m both each time. But mostly I’m curious, and I hope you are too.
Follow your curiosity.
let’s get started
Before you begin please read both of these pages completely:
1. Begin here and don’t skim – you will miss stuff.
2. The tutorial for how to cut your pages and make the book is here. The book is assembled after the 100 days of stitching but it’s essential to know where we are headed. Take special note of how the pages will be stitched together and where you might want to leave a margin.
please keep in mind
* You will have the option to finish with raw or turned edges. The book on the right has raw edges and the book on the left has finished edges- you can do either when we assemble at the end of the 100 days. It’s good to decide which you want before you start.
*15 minutes per day is a suggestion – a minimum – overachievers are very welcome to do more.
*The stitch book process lends itself to improvisational stitching – start without knowing – work without a plan. It’s not the only way to approach the book but it’s my focus and when I offer suggestions and inspiration sources that will be the context.
*Community helps. We are each other’s accountability partners. Showing work in progress keeps you on track. It’s not mandatory to post every single day but it’s helpful to take a photo of each day’s progress for yourself.
*Speaking of sharing – you can share on insta etc with:
#stitchbookchallenge2026
FYI – Hashtags can take a while to show up on social media.
You can also – totally optional – join the stitch club community – it’s the private sharing space for ann wood handmade.
Accountability, feedback, support and fellowship. All that human stuff.
You don’t need to join stitch club to participate in the challenge but it does offer the aforementioned benefits plus:
New this year – optional page prompts! If you’re feeling unsure about getting started this can be the perfect approach. Your work will still be entirely self directed but the prompts can get your wheels turning. Also, it does not have to be either/or – you can choose which prompts to use and which to skip.
The membership will close on January 20th. It will remain closed for the duration of the challenge.
day 1
the part where you have to start
One thing leads to another if you let it. To set yourself up for success remove as many obstacles as possible. Have your supplies ready ahead of time. Have a to-go kit. Have a plan for the bad days. Daily practice is hard. Congratulate yourself for showing up.
As soon as you start a feedback loop begins, you get information. That’s what we’re here for. Listen carefully for the magic – it is there- waiting to be noticed…
