100 Day Challenges

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Gathered my supplies for a new project

Ventura Modern Quilt Guild's 100 day challenge started this week!

Members are carving out 100 days to take on something of our own choosing and are encouraged to share our progress as we go. This collective project was inspired by our February speaker, Shannon Fraser, (https://shannonfraserdesigns.ca/). The idea is that each day we set aside a minimum of 5 minutes to work on something "quilty," anything that supports our creative journey with quilting. 

That could include setting a goal to organize and clean up work spaces in preparation for future projects. Five minutes a day over 100 days is certainly long enough to go through a fabric stash, organize tools, and create an inviting, comfortable space that adds to the joy of the work. With everything in place, who wouldn't be encouraged to finish a project or two before the last day?  

Some people may choose to complete a stack of WIPs, (work in progress). Others might decide to try an unconventional technique for one of the many steps in quilting, or create something inspired by a guest speaker, a piece of art, a different culture. A goal might be to work only in solids, or only use prints; try hand quilting if you're a machine quilter, or refine machine skills like "y" seams or curves. Inspiration might come from improvising with leftover scraps, or cutting into a fresh length of cloth to tackle a challenging pattern. The list could go on and on. 

Working outside one's "comfort zone" can be exhilarating and open new paths of creativity, new opportunities for growing. In fact, this is a great strategy to spur on any creative thinker!     

To give oneself permission to work on something we love is so important, even if we can only set aside small increments of time. If the creative juices aren't flowing on any given day, there's no pressure to continue. But five minutes have a habit of multiplying once you get started. And oh, the final satisfaction of a job well done! 

Everyone will work at their own pace these next 14 weeks and we will be checking in on each other for encouragement and support. I'm looking forward to seeing what members share at our July members' meeting.














First steps of new project
 

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