Day 50 of The 100 Day Project—the halfway point

We're half way through the 100 Day Project 2022! It's flying by. Progress is steady, technique is improving, and I'm discovering interesting things.

Day 50 of The 100 Day Project 2022.

100 Days of Stitching: Stitched scroll with found objects

The 100 Day Project for 2022 started on February 13 and I'm doing two projects again this year. For my 100 Days of Slow Stitching, I'm on the third fabric scroll. The first 20 days are on scroll #1 and Days 21 - 42 are on scroll #2. 

Two completed stitched scrolls and the beginning of the third.
From The 100 Day Project 2022.

Since starting scroll #3, I've been experimenting with the blanket stitch and its variations. Here is the stitching for Day 50. 

Day 50/100: 100 Days of Slow Stitching found objects and fallen pieces.

100 Days of Patterns and Textures with hand-carved stamps 

For my stamp-carving project, I'm working in two sketchbooks and they are filling up quickly. Over the last 20 days or so, I've been combining multiple stamps in patterns and layers. One can eat up several pages just experimenting with different color and stamp combinations. It's so liberating and fun!

Working two sketchbooks for The 100 Day Project 2022: Patterns and textures with hand-carved stamps.

My carving is getting better and I've figured out a few techniques to getting cleaner designs. I have 52 hand carved stamps in my collection. 

52 hand-carved stamps in my personal collection.

I have a plastic pencil box in which I keep my stamps. This makes it easy for traveling.

Plastic box for traveling with stamping supplies.

Stamp carving discoveries

This 100 Day stamp project has the most learning potential for me because I've had very limited experience with carving rubber stamps. A few things I've discovered so far:

• the simplest design is often the most versatile.
• ghost prints (a second print without re-inking the stamp) can make the design appear more complex.
• ghost prints make it look like there are more colors of inks than there really are,
• every stamp has TWO SIDES!
• if stamps are the same size, or have a side with a common size, they are easy to combine into a new design.
• using acrylic mounts for the stamps make the process cleaner (less inky fingers) and easier.
• taking photographs (for both projects) is much better in natural light. I don't like the color shifts from incandescent inside lighting.

My pattern for Day 50/100:

Day 50/100: 100 Days of Textures and Patterns with hand-carved stamps.

Hand-carved stamp and patterns.

A quote by American filmmaker, Ava DuVernay, was illustrated in a recent Do the 100 Day Project post:

"Don't wait for permission to do something creative." —Ava DuVernay

The 100 Day Project 2022: Stitched scroll with found objects

I committed to doing The 100 Day Project creating patterns and textures with hand-carved stamps, but at the last minute I decided to also do 100 Days of Slow Stitching with fallen pieces and found objects... and "Open up my World" to a daily creative stitching practice.

Day 5 of The 100 Day Project 2022.      #100daysofstitchingfallenpieces

100 Days of slow stitching

A few weeks ago at the Front Porch Quilt Shoppe, I was talking with Melanie and Frances about this year's 100 Day Project. They were both so encouraging to me during last year's 100 Day Hexie Project.

After brainstorming with them, and trying to fine-tune a stitch process for 2022, I purchased a yard of a lovely yarn-dyed woven [Nikko® Topstitch from Diamond Textiles] at the shop for my fabric base and left with the general idea of doing a stitched scroll. It's turning out to be a fun challenge.

Fallen pieces and found objects

I'm incorporating leftover bits and "fallen pieces" into a daily stitch journal/scroll. I found lots of fodder in a box of ATC bits, cleaned out the serger trimming container and picked through the fallen pieces in the fabric waste can. I'm also incorporating found objects that I pick up during my travels, such as the "Open up your world" quote that was from the key card folder from a Holiday Inn Express stay.

Miscellaneous fabric, thread and paper scraps from making ATCs [Artist Trading Cards].

Incorporating found objects makes the project serendipitous and less stressful. I also lucked up on a 1963 Needlework Stitches stitch dictionary by Barbara Snook at a used bookstore, The Book Exchange, in Foley, AL. With this little treasure, I'm learning a few new hand embroidery stitches while working on my stitched scroll.

Needlework Stitches by Barbara Snook, published in 1963. 

I'm experimenting with various threads—embroidery floss, sashiko thread, perle cotton—for the hand embroidery and stitching.

Appliqué and couching with hand embroidery stitches. 

Learning decorative stitches from the stitch dictionary.

The 3/4" hexie is from last year's 100 Day Hexie Project and the "Soap Saves Lives" is from the soap wrapper at a hotel.

Found object (soap wrapper) stitched to the fabric scroll.

Couching, the blanket stitch, French knots, a tatted flower.

A padded lattice stitch from the 1963 stitch dictionary.

Padded lattice stitch and a woven running stitch.

Blanket stitch in-the-round.

Today I rummaged through my basket of knitting swatches. Anything goes!

Appliquéing a knit swatch to the scroll.

The Fabric Scroll

My fabric scroll is a flattened fabric tube that is 3" wide by the width of fabric (44"). I'll have to see how many days I can get on one width of fabric. 

14 days of the 100 Day Project—Hand Stitching with Fallen Pieces and Found Objects.
The background fabric is Nikko® Topstitch, a yarn-dyed woven from Diamond Textiles
 that I got at the Front Porch Quilt Shoppe.

The 100 Day Project is set up to be flexible enough that I can change the format if needed—making one long scroll, or making several shorter lengths. I've toyed with the idea of a small book format, with daily stitched "pages." Time and stitches will determine what works best.