Is choosing colors and fabrics your favorite part of sewing?  Or, do you get bogged down in the fabric-selection phase?  Would you like to explore the possibilities of your fabrics on hand, to rekindle that spark of excitement felt upon their first arrival?

This summer you may be short on time behind the sewing machine, but you needn't put your creativity on hold.  As a pleasurable indulgence or much-needed practice, this challenge is for you!  

Let's grow as makers with a 30 day challenge.  No, not 30 consecutive days... just 30 days total of making fabric stacks based on themes.  Whether you complete the challenge or compose just a couple of stacks, those experiences are sure to enrich your quilty soul.  Someday you might make the stacks into projects, or maybe not.  That's not the point.  It's about stepping out and trying new things, stretching, playing, enjoying being you.

::30 Days of Fabric Stacks::

Our challenge starts now and concludes on August 6th.  The idea is to create fabric stacks according to numbered themes, then label and share them on Instagram, aiming to complete all 30 Days by midnight August 6th.  Come to the experience open-minded and see what happens!

Thank you Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory for sponsoring 30 Days of Fabric Stacks!   Located online out of Colorado, Bobbie Lou's offers a fabulous selection of vibrant, eclectic fabrics.  With their support, our challenge will welcome more faces and some motivating prizes.

I'm also partnering with Lucy of Charm About You to help spread the word!

Themes

• Day 1:  True Blue
• Day 2:  Ethereal
• Day 3:  Orange
• Day 4:  New Fabric
• Day 5:  Baby
• Day 6:  Folksy Fall
• Day 7:  Yellow
• Day 8:  Hand Dyed or Printed
• Day 9:  Softly Against Black
• Day 10:  Fabric I Want

• Day 11:  Complementary Colors
• Day 12:  Green
• Day 13:  Scale
• Day 14:  Masculine
• Day 15:  Aqua/Teal
• Day 16:  Novelty
• Day 17:  Pink
• Day 18:  Clashy Bright
• Day 19:  Gray
• Day 20:  Fabric I hoard

• Day 21:  Purple
• Day 22:  Analogous Colors
• Day 23:  Teen
• Day 24:  Almost Primary
• Day 25:  Old Fabric
• Day 26:  Rainbow
• Day 27:  Brown
• Day 28:  Soft Botanical
• Day 29:  All Solids
• Day 30:  My Style

How to Play

• Compose a fabric stack with a minimum of 4 fabrics, inspired by an official theme
• Take a photo of your stack
• Share your photo on Instagram with hashtag #30DaysofFabricStacks. 
• Number each design in the caption (ex. "Day #1 True Blue") to track your progress.  Work through the themes in order, if possible.
• If you reach 30 designs, tag your last photo with the additional hashtag #30DaysofFabricStacksComplete

Special Themes

• Several themes are based on Stitched in Color mosaic contests:  Ethereal, Folksy Fall, Softly Against Black, Clashy Bright, Almost Primary and Soft Botanical.  Please follow links to those inspiration posts to understand each theme.
• For day 10, "Fabric I Want", choose a fabric or fabric stack from our sponsoring store: Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory.  Save the image and post to your Instagram.  Please tag this post with @BobbieLouFabric. 
• You may skip two days and still qualify as a "completer".  Skip days are meant to help you in a pinch, when your fabrics on hand just won't work with a theme.  Mark your skip days (if any) with a photo of a fabric from Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory that would have helped you complete the theme (ex. "Day 18:  Clashy Bright with Iris Batiste from Bobbie Lou's") and please tag @BobbieLouFabric.

Prizes

a challenge is more fun with prizes!  We'll have two kinds:

• Participation Prizes - every Friday, I'll draw a random winner from among those who have submitted designs so far (by noon, eastern time).  Winners will receive a $30 gift certificate to Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory or a challenge-inspired fabric bundle.  First Participation Prize to be drawn Friday, the 16th.  You have 8 chances total!
• Completion Grand Prize - On August 7th I'll draw a random winner from among those who have completed the challenge, posting their 30th design with #30DaysofFabricStacksComplete.  Our grand prize winner will score a $100 gift certificate to Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory!

In order to be eligible for prizes, follow StitchedinColor, CharmAboutYou and BobbieLouFabric on Instagram.  International entries welcome.  Random winners drawn based on hashtag usage.

Hope this sounds like fun to you too!  Now go forth and play with that fabric!