I decided today that I am joining in with Elle Luna and Lindsay Jean Thompson for #the100dayproject. If you haven't heard of it you can find more info here but basically you chose do to something for 100 days and document it on instagram with a unique hashtag.

It felt quite difficult to chose an action, at first I thought there wasn't really anything and then I realised I really could do anything because obviously it doesn't have to be something I am good at! I had lots of thoughts, possibly drawings, designs, colours, fabric scraps? Then I thought about what I want to do, what I would do if I had made time. Of course it would be sewing. That doesn't seem enough because I usually do that every day anyway. So what don't I do? Sew for myself... finish projects... play/improv. But then I don't think I would be motivated to do those things for 100 days.


What else could I do if not sewing? Reading, dancing, walking. Yet what do I want to achieve?

I need some self care. I need time to reflect. I need to focus. I would like to do something for 100 days that will help me do those things.


Then I realised. Sewing is my time for relaxing but I rarely do it without doing something else at the same time. I am writing a pattern or making a project and taking notes as I go, or watching tv, or listening to a podcast, or talking, or I'm on a train. And that's all great. It's not always feeding my creativity though, it's not breathing space or mindfulness. 

My action is 100 days of silent sewing - be it 10 mins or an hour of silent stitching, a chance to work on some unfinished projects or just to stitch whatever I feel like. Maybe I will just do a running stitch through a scrap of fabric because that's all I can muster. I'm not sure how it will go! I would prefer it to be hand sewing but I am not going to set rules for myself. And it's ok if I'm out and about (not alone in a quiet room) because that might be the best chance I get. I am going to turn off and sew silently.

You can follow along #100daysofsilentsewing and see where it takes me.

Has anyone done this challenge (or similar) before? Can you share any tips with me, particularly about how to keep going?