Category: 100 day stitch book

day 99! the hundred day stitch book challenge ends tomorrow

April 25, 2025

by annwood

stitch collage with still life- pear and vase

The 4th! annual challenge is coming to a close.

Bask in the glory for a moment. And marvel at the magic power of a small daily practice. Congratulate yourself for showing up. And then consider, what do you do with your new insight and the strength of your habit? How can you carry it forward and continue to grow?

don’t lose the connection

I so get being ready for a break after this 100 day experiment. I always feel a mix of happiness and sadness when it’s over. I also see an opportunity to harness the momentum.

The bridge to your imagination, your most creative self, is built with intention and habits. A creative habit, even a very small one, makes space for connections. It creates favorable conditions for ideas-to show up. Ideas are funny like that, so particular.

100 days is a solid chunk of time and definitely enough to truly integrate something into your life, to create a habit. I think there are a lot of ways to carry that forward and continue to strengthen the creative muscle and connection to your imagination, to keep crossing that bridge.

“Creativity is not a talent. It is not a talent, it is a way of operating” John Cleese

Maybe commit to 10 or 15 minutes of writing, or doodling or collage or daydreaming. What’s key is that you continue to have a regular (daily) appointment with your imagination. It’s also a good time to try expanding your practice – if the short practice produced benefits start to play with bigger chunks of time.

stephanie – stitch book

: rhonda – stitchbook page

: mary – stitchbook pages

barbara- stitch book pages

Pam -stitch book page

The pages above are work by stitch club members and you can also find lots of pages on instagram – #stitchbookchallenge2025

what happens next

Assemble your book! Find the tutorial here.

I’ll show you the beginning of the process here – none of what follows will make any sense to you unless you’ve reviewed the assembly pages linked above. I started putting my book together yesterday and I’m assembling a little differently from the tutorial- leaving the edges raw.

It’s easy to do but hand stitching all those pages takes forever. If you’d like raw edges just follow the book assembly instructions and at step 11 in the slot section you place the wrong sides of the pages together. And again for the tab section in step 9 you place the wrong sides together. All other instructions are the same.

First you need to number the pages in the order you want them to appear in the book (pro tip- if you use tape don’t iron over it…). 1 is the front cover and 20 is the back cover.

Then arrange the numbered pages according to the chart.

I’m excited about my book – putting it together, choosing the page order, all of that. And even more thrilling? Knowing that thousands of stitch books exist in the world—each one an expression of a completely unique imagination. I so appreciate the energy and commitment people put into their books.

Are you excited to assemble your book? What did you learn in your daily practice? Let us know in the comments!

Congratulations and onward!

ann

we’re officially at the halfway mark of the 2025 stitch book challenge!

March 7, 2025

by annwood

stitched collage- black goved hand on a white field with fancy stitched rings on each finger

Your habit is taking root. You’ve gained a deeper understanding of your creative process—how your mind works, where you get stuck, and what sparks your curiosity. You’re also discovering new intersections.

Intersections are connections—ideas.

One thing leads to another, if you let it…

learn about the stitch book project here

You have fifty days of work behind you. That daily commitment, however small, adds up to something surprisingly significant.

Or not. Maybe it feels like a hot mess. Maybe you still feel stuck, and subjected to a new daily dose of guilt that you missed a day (or most of the days…), or that your work isn’t what you hoped it would be.

That’s just information—feedback. Use it. Adjust. Experiment.

: stitch book page – katy baker

: stitch book page – coast and cloth

Katie Baker
coast and cloth

Some ways to shift things:

Be silly. I’m a huge fan of silly. Playfulness unlocks creativity.

Add constraints. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, limit yourself—use just one color, like blues, or stick to a single shape, like circles. Constraints can spark fresh ideas and help you see your materials in a new way.

Let go of the outcome. Just commit to 15 minutes of creative movement—hands and mind engaged. Let that be enough.

Keep going.

How are you doing at this milestone? Feeling momentum or stuck in the doldrums? Let us know in the comments.

You can check out lots more of 2025 stitch book pages on instagram. And share your progress to by using #stitchbookchallenge2025 or join the stitch club community.

the stitched vessel sewing tutorial and stitch book day 29!

February 14, 2025

by annwood

It’s like paper mache, but with fabric.

Have you got scraps? Tiny fragments of fabric you love but don’t know what to do with? Stitched Vessels are for you. And no printer? No problem – there are no templates – it’s a technique – and you can view the instructions on you computer or smart device. The process is simple, intriguing and (be warned) addictive.

You probably already have the other materials you need (they are top secret).

I made this project for the stitch club community and over the last year members have made lots of wonderful vessels in all shapes and sizes. There were also vessel workshops in France and LA last year.

The technique scales and most fabrics work (just avoid anything stretchy). This is super chill, get set up somewhere cozy, meditative, slow stitching. I’m pretty sure it makes me a more agreeable person…

You can buy the tutorial in the shop for 8 bucks or get it free when you join stitch club.

Plus February is International Scrap Month! (that’s a thing I made up that is also totally legit) and wabi sabi vessels made from your most favorite scraps are the perfect way to celebrate.

the hundred day stitch book challenge – we are at the 1/4 mark

Today – Friday- is day 29 and beginning the fifth week today – it has flown by so far. We have a solid amount of work behind us and I’m wondering how you’re feeling in the process? Each year I’m nervous to start. So worried it will feel stale or that no inspiration will appear. And once again the process is delivering energy and ideas. In the stitch club community and on instagram I’m seeing lots of imaginative stitching.

The two pages above, created by Stitch Club member Barbara, are bursting with movement and energy. There’s an incredible sense of vibrancy, drawing you in—there’s so much to explore, and it pulses and vibrates… Barbara has been a member from the beginning and it’s been super interesting to watch her tap into her intuition more and more. One of the core goals of this kind of improvisational work is to deepen that connection. I firmly believe that work, that practice, that listening delivers our best and most singular work.

PS – There will be a painting shop update next Thursday -2/20 noon-ish Eastern time.

PPS – The sunset at 5:22 yesterday – the lengthening days are such a welcome, happy thing – do you have early spring fever too? Are you on track in your 100 day stitch book? Somewhat behind? Not exactly, technically, started? Is there a scrappy vessel in your future? Let us know in the comments.

five-ish things bringing me joy right now

January 31, 2025

by annwood

3 fabric collages, scraps and sewing notions on my work table

stitch book 2025 – pages 1-3

percolating ideas – it’s all about the space between

The sensation of an idea percolating in the background is my most favorite thing in all the world. The 100 day stitch book project has the percolation phase built in. The formula is: work on a problem and then give your subconscious a crack at it.

After I add my stitches each day my brain keeps working on it – feeling for the next move. Sometimes this is entirely passive – all the magic work your subconscious does while you’re otherwise engaged. And less passively, but still without conscious effort, there’s a perspective shift – you notice things, colors, shapes, ideas that might inform your page.

Repeat this enough and new connections form. You get better at listening to yourself. Better at pulling out the deeper ideas.

This is the fourth stitch book and my pattern has been pretty consistent – days 1- 3 are more feeling around, less intensely thoughtful. I’m having a beginning and usually creating a problem. On days 4 and 5 I solve the problem. Or try to anyway. I do love having a problem to solve. Even when I fail I get tons of new insight, information and ideas.

And what exactly is a success? It’s a feeling… Something that surprises me. Something that feels balanced, energetic and compelling. The sensation of getting out of my own way. Getting someplace new.

purging

Pretty New Yearsy. I dive into this every year and then fizzle before I get to the level of possession management and relative minimalism I aspire to. This year I’m going to chunk it, make it a recurring time commitment that I can definitely follow through on.

It will be like the refrigerator situation – I review, toss, clean and make my list every Saturday. It’s a habit. The sorting and purging is getting a time slot too. A modest time slot. Let’s say Tuesday morning – 30 minutes.

So doable. I’ll chip away at this forever as opposed to making ambitious plans that run out of steam.

the glorious emptiness of my worktable

This was a happy accident new years accident. I had to totally pack up this room for some unplanned maintenance work… That resulted in removing a ton of delightful clutter. I ended up leaving most of it packed up and I’m considering carefully and slowly what I really need and want as I add stuff. Can I maintain this level of austerity? Absolutely not. But I’m inspired by it and taking a lesson from how good the emptiness felt.

The calendar is definitely a keeper and bringing lots of joy. It’s by my remarkable friend Sid.

magnetic bookmarks and a tiny mechanical pencil

This post contains affiliate links – meaning I get a small commission you purchase through the link – they are marked with an *asterisk

So much joy. I went back to an old school paper day planner last year and it agrees with me. It’s where I track the aforementioned habits. I’m the sort of person that gets a huge amount of satisfaction checking off a list item. I linked to *this planner last year and took a bunch of heat for it. As planners go it’s small and pricey. But I love everything about it and shelled out for it again this year. I’m particular about the stuff I use everyday and this one was a big win. The paper is deluxe (and very erasable). And it has an awkwardly translated quote for each day.

It’s also a place for recording ideas as soon as possible, in writing. That’s a big part of my process. This little book is always with me. And so is this *tiny mechanical pencil.

“The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas.”
Linus Pauling

And for finding those ideas later – *mini magnetic book marks. They are magic. And like the little pencil and book they are aesthetically delightful. Which can’t hurt.

What’s bringing you joy right now? Are you trying the stitch book challenge? Do you have a new yearsey project? Did you know magnetic bookmarks are a thing?! Let us know in the comments.

stitch book challenge – day 1 – curiosity

January 17, 2025

by annwood

Let’s baby step our way to 100 days of creative stitching. Let’s not worry about the outcome. Let’s find out what happens when you show up in a small way consistently. Let’s watch ourselves work. Learning more about how you work is one of the benefits of working- notice where you get stuck, notice what lights you up, feel for your curiosity…

The 100 day stitch book challenge starts today! Please be sure to read these two pages completely before you start:

1 – Before you do anything else please read this page carefully.

2 – Find the tutorial for how to cut your pages and make the book here. We don’t assemble the book until the pages are done but it’s good 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.

The books above are the result of the previous stitch book challenges. The book on the right has raw edges and the book on the left has finished edges- you’ll have the option to choose when we assemble at the end of the 100 days.

a couple things to consider

15 minutes is a suggestion – a good minimum- overachievers are welcome to do more.

The process lends itself to improvisational stitching – starting without knowing – working without a plan. It’s not the only way to approach this challenge but it’s my focus and when I offer suggestions and inspiration sources it will be in that context.

Community is key. We are each other’s accountability partners. Showing work in progress can feel weird but it helps you stay on track. It’s not mandatory to post every single day but I think it’s helpful to you to take a photo of each day’s progress for yourself.

Speaking of sharing – you can share on insta etc with

#stitchbookchallenge2025

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.

Daily practice- even a small one – is hard. Give yourself credit for showing up for it and take it one day at a time.

helpful blog posts:

the shimmering space between

7 ideas for your 100 day stitchbook

day 1

day 1- 2025

One thing leads to another if you let it. You just have to start. To set myself up for success I cut some pages and gathered some scraps to work with. It was all waiting for me this morning. My to go kit is ready and I have a plan for bad days. The rest is so easy- just stitch for 15 minutes. Begin without a plan. You get somewhere new by starting without knowing, make a mark (in this case a stitch, a patch etc.) and respond to it.

day 99 2023

curiosity

Let curiosity drive you in this process. What’s around the next corner? The books, the pages, and the whole process have surprised me each year. The daily thing is really a slog sometimes. I have not loved every image, I cringe when sharing my missteps. And, it’s all totally worth it. I get to places in my imagination I never otherwise would. That is everything. It’s the “youness” thing.

“No one is youer than you.” – Dr. Seuss

The world only has one chance at what’s in there – one chance at you. I think it’s worth time, energy, embarrassment, failure and disappointment to work your way through to the deepest, most truly creative work you can do – the youest – the work of your utterly unique imagination. Listen carefully for the magic – it is there- waiting to be noticed… Listening is part of the work. That kind of listening takes practice and patience and the afore mentioned showing up.

be curious
be open
show up

the 100 day stitch book starts soon! and community sign ups are open

January 11, 2025

by annwood

The 2025 100 day stitch book challenge begins on 1/17 and ends on 4/26

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHALLENGE HERE

All the info you need to participate is available at the link above – please read it carefully – don’t skim! You’ll miss stuff

The 4th annual! 100 day Stitch Book Challenge begins next Friday January 17!

I have spent a lot of time and energy in life learning how to trick myself into doing stuff, getting my ideas out of my head or working past stuckness. One of the most effective ways is daily practice. Small daily practice. It’s where my ideas show up and percolate – in my daily paintings (this is year 7!) and the stitch book project.

In the case of the stitch book project, that’s 15 minutes per day for 100 days.

learn about the 100 day stitch book challenge here

The do-able chunk of time eliminates paralysis and overthinking and invites happenstance. And I love the idea of each day building on the previous.

Committing to a do-able assignment and applying small consistent effort is as close to a magic formula as there is for growing creatively and getting unstuck.

will you join us for the 2025 challenge?

To set yourself up for success on day one- Jan 17th – take some easy actions now. Grab the checklist. Then begin with the overview here.

And totally optional- join stitch club! You don’t need to join to participate but it is a great place to find support and share your progress.

stitch club membership is open now

What happens in stitch club? It’s the private ann wood handmade community, a great place to get inspired, share what you’re working on and make sewy friends.

We just completed a fall stitch journal in the community. It was an excellent warm up for the big event beginning next Friday. It was a weekly commitment (one stitched panel per week) as opposed to the daily 15 minute commitment of the 100 day book. I struggled to keep up. It’s a super busy time of year work wise and I had the faceplant situation that messed up a couple weeks of my life but I think the lesson is the small daily thing really works best for me.

You can see my finished book below. I approached the stitching the same way I approach the 100 day book – improvisational, yes and, see what turns up.

Don’t see the video above? Click here to view on youtube.

The binding is “modified coptic” . There are so many cool ways to bind books- I think we’ll try another method in the next mini book.

stitch book challenge 2025

Just like the three previous years I’m excited and also nervous to start. Daily practice is hard. But I can’t resist. Can you? I’ve got some ideas and lessons learned from the previous years to help you get ready.

thinking of the pages in pairs

Totally optional but I have loved having a second chance at compositions by treating 2 pages as one image/idea in previous book. I mostly did not work on the two pages consecutively. When I wasn’t happy with what I’d done, putting the idea aside and letting it percolate helped a lot.

I’m also leaning towards leaving my edges raw again.

Support the 100 day stitch book project and the always growing free pattern library.

Click here to add your support.

make it easy

Make it easy to show up. Have your materials accessible and transportable. 15 minutes is even more doable if everything is already set up.

plan for the bad days

This is so important. There will be some bad days. Some too busy or sick or too something days. The secret to those days is a predetermined, minimally acceptable effort.

Protect the habit, protect the momentum and do something.

and if you do miss a day?

Keep going. Maybe do an extra 15 minutes when you can.

warm up

Putting things in a box is a great way to begin.

I’m putting things in a box now and I’ll be back on the 17th with some ideas and encouragement.

Will you join me in 100 days of stitching? Let us know in the comments.

onward!

ann

PS – LA friends – you are on my mind ❤️❤️❤️❤️

the finished 2024 stitch book and 5 things bringing me joy

September 6, 2024

by annwood

stitch book open to 2 page spread- graphic collage with a vintage feel

finishing the 2024 stitch book

The pages traveled with me all summer and were assembled a little bit at a time by hand. I love the finished book, it feels substantial in my hands, and it’s evidence of how powerful small, consistent daily effort is. I’m already looking forward to the 2025 stitch book challenge. Look for details at the end of this year.

Don’t see the video above? Please click here.

circus doll production work

Circus folk sewing patterns are in the works. The dancing elephant will be the first released this fall. I’m making lots of circus dolls in preparation for the workshops in LA. I learn a ton in the production phase- after the pattern templates are pretty solid – just churning them out and making little adjustments, trying variations etc. It also helps zero in on the best material choices and testing hand sewing and machine sewing. All super valuable for the workshops and sewing patterns.

I also love this kind of production work. In short spurts anyway. I haven’t had any sewing in the shop for ages and some of these dolls will be available in the shop this fall.

bachelor buttons

Bachelor Buttons were the clear winner in the garden this year. Nobody ate them and they didn’t get any weird plagues. The color is unimaginable. They are definitely on my list for next year. I was also delighted by Mexican Sunflowers and Nasturtium leaves.

creative sparks

A place to start. We have a new one in the Stitch Club every month. The creative sparks (prompts) are medicine for stuckness. They give you:

– A place to start, a shape to contain your ideas. The spark gives you a specific starting point, that’s magic when you’re feeling stuck. The little push drops you into the process instead of waiting for inspiration.

– A fresh perspective on ideas you’ve been sitting on but haven’t gotten your hands and head around yet. A completely novel intersection can appear.

– The spark can push you to explore new themes and styles, expanding your creative and visual vocabulary.

– In the community there is a sense of shared experience and energy. The Sparks have been huge for me – the circus patterns, my workshop at Squam all incubated in creative spark work.

Give it a try – last month’s creative spark was MOTH. I’ll show you some moth inspired work when I get back from Squam.

favorite painting supplies

*This post contains affiliate links- meaning I get a small commission if you purchase through the link. They are marked with an *asteriks.

I’ve got a handful of favorite painting supplies curated over the past 5 + years of making a painting every single day. It’s super easy to travel with and it’s a huge help in the daily habit department that it’s simple and always ready to go.

paint box – I have a *couple of these. I love being able to curate my own colors. I was finding that I only used a few colors in the prefilled boxes. Plus having an extra white is super handy. This box has removable little pans I fill with watercolor from tubes. I use lots of different brands but *Koi is still my favorite watercolor.

paper- I love Fluid 100. Mostly *hotpress (very smooth) but lately I’ve been loving the *cold press (less smooth).

brushes – The *water filled brushes were life changing. I got them for traveling but have been using them all the time for years.

french overalls

Ignore the mess around me and focus on the majesty of my vintage french workman overalls. They turned up at the last flea market I visited in France this July. I’ve been on the hunt for them forever. The joy is real.

What’s bringing you Joy this September? Would you rock these overalls? Will you give the creative spark a try? Let us know in the comments and happy almost Fall!

the 2024 hundred day stitch book – day 99!

April 26, 2024

by annwood

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.

slow stich collage panel with shades of blue and teal - a white swan is centered and there are diamond shapes and a fleur de lis

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.

100 days flew by! I’m very curious about your experience. Was this your first time trying a daily practice or is that already part of your life? What did you learn? Will you miss it? (I will). Are you relieved it’s done? (I have some of that too). Let us know in the comments.

stitch book challenge – day 15 update

February 2, 2024

by annwood

3 stitch collages and scraps on my work table

We are on day 15! That finishes 3 pages and a new page starts tomorrow. You can see lot’s of pages on instagram and the group in stitch club is really remarkable.

These are my first three pages. I’ve still got today’s 15 minutes to do on the third – bottom right above. This is my third year challenging myself in this way and I’m finding the same pattern appears. In the first three days I create a problem for myself (compositional problem) and on the 4th and 5th days I work on solving it. I love this kind of thinking.

My pages are not always abstract but that doesn’t seem to make a difference in this rhythm. And I don’t always succeed. Last year I found thinking of the pages in pairs helped immensely. I loved having a second chance at compositions by treating 2 pages as one image/idea. And I mostly did not work on them consecutively – having some percolation time in between was key.

Stitch Club member Heather Smith said this about the challenge:

FIVE THINGS I LEARNED FROM THE 100 DAY STITCH BOOK

I wrote this while getting ready for this year’s challenge and reflecting on my creative accomplishments from last year.

1- With community support I CAN do something every day for 100 days. (or 98 days or whatever was close enough to count).

2- Working 15 minutes a day on a part of a project is quite a different challenge than making a little finished piece of art every day. So much more do-able than those kinds of challenges.

3- Letting go of overthink. It’s ok to start without knowing exactly where the art is going to take you. This was a HUGE change for me, unlocking years of being Afraid To Start.

4- Ideas like company. If you put a few of them together they make more ideas. It’s like propagating plants. And if you put those ideas in one place they become your own thesaurus of ideas, little seed starts for later.

5- A middle aged craft lady in motion (really) does tend to stay in motion – Ann Wood. This momentum has kept building and helped create a nearly daily practice.

I love everything Heather has to say – and seeing this process work for people is satisfying and motivating. 15 minutes a day matters. Find Heather’s instagram page here – there’s lots to see.

“The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas.”
Linus Pauling

There are so many ways to approach making this book and growing creatively through that effort. Working in an improvisational way is challenging and so worth the effort.

When you start without knowing where you’re headed you create space for ideas, for possibilities and happy accidents. You observe and listen and connect. There is no failure, only information.

daily practice matters

It keeps the wheels turning and the machinery well oiled. The minute you do something, take some action, a feedback loop begins. You get information. Begin, listen and respond. It makes you ask the second question and the third and the fourth etc. etc. that will lead you to new places, lead you deeper into your imagination and your magic.

A couple notes :

Is it too late to join/start?

Nope – you can choose to start whenever you like. Catch up with the schedule or work with your own start and end date. There is nothing you need to join – stitch club membership is optional. To participate please read this page carefully and follow the link at the end to the tutorial for making the pages and book.

Is it free to participate?

It is. You can choose to support the project with a donation here.

Are there daily prompts

Nope- the daily stitching is self directed.

Will you do it again?

Hopefully – this time next year.

Good luck with your stitch book challenge!

stitch book : day 1 is here! and 5 more things bringing me joy

January 19, 2024

by annwood

I have one important thought for you and for me today and everyday of the challenge:

Done is better than perfect!

This exercise is so not about perfection. It is for listening to yourself. It’s for your imagination, it’s a place to try things – explore. Show up, try stuff, make mistakes, try again, get somewhere new. 100 days of that is magic.

Life rewards action, give it a chance and it will show up with happy accidents. The minute you do something a feedback loop begins. You get information. Begin, listen and respond.

Be brave and be curious.

onward in stitch!

ann

*learn about the stitch book challenge here

DAY 1

stitch book 2024 – day 1

5 things bringing me joy this January

*This post contains affiliate links – meaning I get a small commission if you purchase through the links – they are marked with an asterisk

1. day planner

I’m so into it. In olden times I always had a day planner book. It’s for capturing ideas, project planning and a daily record – at the end of each day I make a little list: 5 things about today.
The book is beside my bed and it’s the last thing I do each day. It is very short and simple but recording this little list makes me notice things.

I’ve also marked each of the 100 days for the stitch book challenge and get to experience the deep satisfaction of checking them off.

I love that it’s small enough to always have with me so ideas can be written down as they happen and the calendar aspect brings so much more organization and context to those notes.

The book is beautiful and super simple. After I looked at every day planner on the planet I went with the *hobonichi techo (a6 size in black gingham).

2. Imagination day camp

Next September my friend Autumn Song and I are co teaching (again) at the Squam Art Retreat. We are currently creating a big playful day of imagination igniting fun. That is she and I walking along the path at Squam, ideas and plans tumbling all over the place. We have endless things to say to each other and all sorts of surprising new intersections appear. It’s a you got peanut butter on my chocolate situation for sure.

Autumn and I first met at my experimenting with dolls workshop in 2016. The class was improv based – a yes and approach to making a figure. I loved Autumn’s ability to completely immerse herself in the creation of her doll and watch her gentleman moth emerging a little bit at a time.

“My name is Cedric Randolf. I am a moth, I fought in the Boer War. I am quite wise and quite old. In one eye I have a cataract, with my other eye I see only goodness”

I love working with Autumn. Ideas flow easily between us, they bounce back and forth and get deeper and more detailed and weirder and sillier etc. etc. We both like to think about thinking, where ideas come from and the absolute joy of making things and that is what imagination day camp is all about. Check out Autumn’s instagram here. And her website here.

You can find out more about the class and fall retreat here.

3. A cozy spot

A perfect spot to hibernate and stitch and watch the snow. I’ve been looking for THIS daybed forever. It turned up (the exact one I wanted!) at a garage sale for just a little money and in perfect shape. The mattress is a chunk of memory foam and the cover is made from big scraps and some toile curtains from a thrift store. This was my first experience with welting and I give myself a B+. Am I a little awash in toile? Yes. But I like it.

4. What it is

By Lynda Barry. It’s a big book about process, ideas and creativity. I took it out of the library so often I finally bought a copy- *it’s currently on sale. It is visually very dense and when I first looked at it I thought it would be too difficult to navigate – text is hand written and intermingled with tons of collage and drawing. You have to spend a little time with it. She asks questions like what is an image? What is an idea? What is a memory? What is a story? That will make you think. It’s written for an adolescent/teenage audience so it’s perfect for me…

5. Great Horned Owl

I saw a great horned owl!. First time ever. I had been hearing them in evening, calling in the little forest just behind me since I moved to my current place in Guilford. That small, dense patch of trees got cleared for development and there were no more owl calls. This winter I started hearing him again on my run and then one evening there he was, huge, in a tree right above me at dusk, calling and being answered by another. That night I got to write “saw a great horned owl” in my list of 5 things about today.

Are you feeling new yearsy? Are your ready for stitch book 2024? Have you ever seen a great horned owl!? What’s bringing you joy in 2024? Let us know in the comments.

the stitch book challenge starts soon and community membership is open!

January 5, 2024

by annwood

light and bright fabric scraps gathered on a table - the prints are sweet and vintage

stitch club membership is open again

Let’s start with the membership and then get into some ideas for setting yourself up for the stitch book challenge. You don’t need to join to participate but it is a great place to find support and share your progress.

What happens in stitch club? It’s the private ann wood handmade community, a great place to get inspired, share what you’re working on and make sewy friends.

New for 2024

The international scrap festival in february with ideas, challenges and a scrap swap

creative sparks- monthly prompts to get your wheels turning

enrollment in the 2024 stitch book group (you don’t have to participate – but if you do the group is super helpful)

sew-alongs and more!

The 2024 100 day stitch book challenge begins on 1/19 and ends on 4/27

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHALLENGE HERE

Please use the link above if your are brand new to the challenge – you’ll find all the info you need.

There are lot’s of ways to approach this hundred day challenge. My plan is to go boldly forth into the unknown. Start without knowing and create time and space for ideas that don’t easily present themselves in the general course of things. That’s what showing up does. You show up and work. You move your mind and your hands and see what happens.

It’s a terrifying proposition. It’s uncomfortable. And it’s how you get somewhere new. This is the third annual stitch book challenge and just like the two previous years I’m excited and also very nervous to start. Daily commitments are hard. Showing daily progress is hard, especially after you’ve gone on and on about how creative and productive the process is.

But here we are again. I can’t resist. Can you? I’ve got some ideas and lessons learned from the previous years to help you get ready.

My plan is to not have a plan except for:

Thinking of the pages in pairs. I loved having a second chance at compositions by treating 2 pages as one image/idea in last years book. I mostly did not work on the two pages consecutively. Especially when I wasn’t happy with what I’d done, putting the idea aside and letting it percolate for a bit helped a lot.

I’m also leaning towards leaving my edges raw again.

Support the 100 day stitch book project and the always growing free pattern library.

Click here to add your support.

remove obstacles

Make it as easy as possible to show up. For me that means having my materials accessible and transportable. A to-go kit is essential. I’ve got scraps, some cut pages (I don’t cut them all in the beginning), a little needle book and a thread pouch. And because the world really is magic this sweet tote bag, made by a friend, arrived unexpectedly on the very day I was looking for something to contain my stitch book supplies.

15 minutes is even more doable if everything is already set up.