Your imagination is one of a kind. Inimitable. It’s the opposite of AI slop. But it does not give up its best easily. There are other voices and powers in you and outside of you that try to clean it up or make it fit into categories and boxes that seem to make sense. Really listening is a slow process of showing up and trying, feeling around for a sensation that you can’t describe until you feel it – when something on your page rings true in a way that it did not before.
“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” – Franz Kafka
Saturday – 4/25 marks the end of the 2026 stitch book challenge
For the last (almost) 100 days we’ve made a small, consistent effort to spend time with our imaginations. Turning thoughts and ideas into actions. Trying stuff. We have not been concerned with perfection, we have only tried to engage, be present and available to the mystery.
Stitch book page by Carlene.
Especially the first time, the daily habit can be a hard thing to settle into, a hard thing to trust. This was the fifth annual challenge and one of the most interesting things about it for me is watching how it changes for people who have participated multiple times (this includes me).
(stitch book page by Kyra)
They start to trust themselves. There is a growing sense of freedom and experimentation in their pages. A confidence and truth.
(stitch book pages by Melinda)
If you started the challenge and didn’t finish. Or didn’t even sort of finish, please don’t think you failed. You began. You introduced the idea of a daily practice, planted a seed. Try again or adjust the practice- maybe just one small session a week. This is not the SAT’s – no pencils down. It’s art and it’s life – starting over again and again.
what happens next
Assemble your book! Find the tutorial here.
Over the last couple days I started to think about assembling my book. Again this year I’m putting it together 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.
This beautiful book by stitch club member Sonya follows the tutorial as written with turned edges.
And a gorgeous example of a raw edge book by Majo.
page order
The flow of your book – number the pages in the order you want them to appear (pro tip- if you use tape don’t iron over it) 1 is the front cover and 20 is the back cover. My pages above are arranged as I would like them to appear in the book.
Then arrange the numbered pages according to the chart and assemble.
I’ve used the chart to arrange my pages for assembly above.
I’m excited about putting together my fifth volume. The hand finishing takes forever but I’m planning on bringing it to France with me next week and working on it slowly. Assembling the book has a magic affect – it feels substantial and complete.
Such beautiful content, art, word, etc.❤️
Thoroughly enjoyed this challenge. Thank you!
Loved making my stitch book. It was a bit bulky so I took it apart and left more ease when sewing the tabs and slots. Looking forward to 2027.
I am making my third book and trying the raw edge approach this time. I am not finished with all the pages yet, but know it will be special when completed, because the first two are some of my prized work.
Your Stitch book & dedication to daily creativity & artistic expression are incredible! Thanks for sharing!
This has been my first time participating and it’s been a wonderful experience. Seeing other people’s pages is inspiring and sparks my creativity. Thanks everyone.
” This is not the SAT’s – no pencils down. It’s art and it’s life – starting over again and again.”
NEED the poster of this wisdom, please!!
Mine is my fourth book and quite different from my previous ones. I love this project and have enjoyed the process as much as previous years. Thank you Ann.
Thank you for a fun and do-able project. This is my second time and I can say I was able to move ahead differently because of everything I learned. I love my tea-stained fabric with added dark stains for interest and as part of the story. The students did such lovely work-imaginative and skilled. I learned from them as well. Thank you Ann and everyone here!!
Merci pour ce projet: je ne suis pas arrivée à publier sur Instagram,mais peu importe,j’ai pu suivre vos pages qui sont magnifiques dans leur créativité et leur diversité : une belle source d’inspiration !
J’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir d’associer, de broder et de laisser aller mon imagination et je suis arrivée à maintenir le rythme. Il me reste plus qu’à assembler les pages.
Bravo à toutes et à l’année prochaine !
Didn’t participate this year, but that’s because I’ve been stitching on a strip of cotton (doing some sashiko). Last year, I participated and then kept on stitching for 365 days! I ended up with a year-long journal and I made a Youtube video about it (of course, giving you credit, Ann!). If you’d like to see my journal from 2025: https://youtu.be/PWbN5KVMrcc?si=SWIkrw3cxCzVPLNi
This year’s stitch book was much different for me. First of all, I completed it. Second, it’s 1/4th the recommended size. I enjoyed the prompts very much. Seeing all of the creative techniques from all these wonderful artists has my mind planning for the year to come. I should take notes.
I loved working on my book this year, especially the support from the stitch club community to whom I am so grateful. My efforts paused after page 14 or so because I have other priorities and I know that’s not the way, but it’s what’s happened to me. I’ll revisit my book soon, finish the pages and put it together.